[lg policy] South Africa: ANC: Legislature must enforce transformation at Stellies

[Harold Schiffman]

ANC: Legislature must enforce transformation at Stellies

The group led a protest march on campus calling for radical transformation
at the institution.
[image: Protesters including members of the EFF protest on Elsunburg
Agricultural Institute in Stellenbosch. Picture: Supplied]
Protesters including members of the EFF protest on Elsunburg Agricultural
Institute in Stellenbosch. Picture: Petrus Botha/EWN

   - Stellenbosch <http://ewn.co.za/Topic/Stellenbosch>
   - Stellenbosch University
   <http://ewn.co.za/Topic/Stellenbosch-University>
   - University of Stellenbosch
   <http://ewn.co.za/Topic/University-of-Stellenbosch>


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   <http://ewn.co.za/2015/09/02/Open-Stellenbosch-says-transformation-efforts-gaining-momentum#emailForm>
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   <http://ewn.co.za/2015/09/02/Open-Stellenbosch-says-transformation-efforts-gaining-momentum>
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Monique Mortlock <http://ewn.co.za/Contributors/Monique-Mortlock> | about
10 hours ago

CAPE TOWN – The African National Congress (ANC) in Parliament says the
National Legislature must flex its oversight muscle to enforce real change
at Stellenbosch University.

The ANC has accused the university’s management of paying lip service to
transformation given the situation on the ground.

The institution’s management was called to an urgent meeting with the
Portfolio Committee on Higher Education on Tuesday.

This is to respond to concerns about their policy as well as allegations of
racism on campus.

But the ruling party is not satisfied with the response saying management
doesn’t seem to fully comprehend the implications of its language policy,
which it describes as discriminatory.

The university revealed on Tuesday that 62.2 percent of students enrolled
at the institution are white. Academic staff are also overwhelmingly white,
making up 73 percent.

Rector Wim de Villiers told Members of Parliament that transformation was
an incomplete, imperfect journey.

“But we’re steadfast and committed to this journey.”

On the contentious language policy, Vice Rector Arnold Schoonwinkel said
the plan is to increase the university's multi-lingual offering.

“With the aim of 75 percent by 2020.”

The university has set up a task team to respond to student requests and
demands.

*'LUISTER'*

De Villiers told MPs management has been trying to shift its language
<http://ewn.co.za/2015/09/01/Luister-I-am-not-denying-that-there-are-problems>
policy away from a stated preference for teaching and learning in Afrikaans.

He said the policy is being implemented but there are problems.

“I am not denying that there are problems with implementation; task teams
are investigating this. There is an open invitation to all to raise the
problems; we are investigating the proposals of Open Stellenbosch, the SRC
and others. “

De Villiers added the institution is a multilingual university.

“In the end, as I have been alluded to, language is a complex and emotive
issue given our history in South Africa and we need to handle it correctly.”

The rector and his senior management team were called to an urgent meeting
in parliament to respond to allegations of racism and discrimination
contained in the documentary *Luister*
<http://ewn.co.za/2015/08/22/Open-Stellenbosch-releases-racism-documentary>.


*EFFORTS GAINING MOMENTUM*
Student movement Open Stellenbosch believes its efforts to push for
meaningful transformation at is gaining momentum.
<http://ewn.co.za/Topic/University-of-Stellenbosch>

On Tuesday, the group led a protest march on campus calling for radical
transformation at the institution.

Open Stellenbosch’s march attracted hundreds of students, staff and alumni,
including some from the University of Western Cape and University of Cape
Town.

Security guards followed the chanting mass, ensuring all entrances to
academic buildings were closed.

The demonstrators stopped at the main administration building and handed
over a memorandum to management demanded an urgent meeting with the
university council.

Open Stellenbosch’s Ijeoma Opara said, “Which is basically stipulating what
are the interests that we want to put for representation of black students
on campus, we also want that to increase.”

Open Stellenbosch, which was involved in producing the short film, says no
student should be forced to learn in Afrikaans.

http://ewn.co.za/2015/09/02/Open-Stellenbosch-says-transformation-efforts-gaining-momentum
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