SOUTH AFRICA: Outrage continues in South Africa over the racist student video that humiliated black workers

Record ID: 452269

  • Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Outrage continues in South Africa over the racist student video that humiliated black workers
  • Date: 29th February 2008
  • Summary: (BN13) JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (FEBRUARY 28, 2008) (REUTERS) JOURNALIST ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHAIRMAN OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, JODY KOLLAPEN, SAYING: "Well, we're saying they must get arrested, I mean you know you can't deal with this thing through discipline enquiries only," HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION (HRC) SIGN (SOUNDBITE) (English) CHAIRMAN OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, JODY KOLLAPEN, SAYING: "The commission is been shocked, is been angered, but it's also been very saddened, saddened that 14 years into our democracy, young boys who never lived or grew up during apartheid, who we assume would have grown up in a environment that was democratic, and one that sought to promote tolerance, acceptance and understanding could in such a careless and brutal manner, play out their prejudices and stereotypes on women old enough to be their mothers, so clearly the events on this video goes against everything we are trying to build and create in this new society" HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION (HRC) SIGN
  • Embargoed: 15th March 2008 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: South Africa
  • Country: South Africa
  • Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA9QUBV42ADY1GA6PPAR8HY05RJ
  • Story Text: Racial tensions continued at the Free State University (UFS) in Bloemfontein on Thursday (February 28), where students at the controversial Reitz men's residence barricaded the entrances claiming they have received death threats and feel unsafe.
    "The situation is very tense at the moment, and the guys feel very threatened, We've received threats, death threats, people driving and shouting "we gonna kill you tonight". I personally got a couple of calls, people shouting at me and saying I must watch my back and "we are coming for you" and some stuff in Zulu language," said one of the resident, Pieter Odendaal.
    There has been a national outcry over a racist video that was made last year by the students that live in the Reitz residence.
    The video shows a group of black workers (four females and a male) being instructed to drink beer. They are also made to dance to Afrikaans music and play rugby, and made to eat food that was allegedly urinated on.
    The workers who spoke through their lawyer at a news conference said they were badly affected by the video.
    "This has really affected the staff, you can see her reactions to this, I've tried to consult with them, the University has even arranged counselling for them," said their lawyer Lesley Mokgoro.
    Two of the four students identified in the video have been suspended from the campus University, but the other two have since finished their studies last year. The students also spoke throughout their lawyers and said that they never urinated on the food, and claimed that it was a harmless liquid that was squirted into it.
    The Human rights Commission has condemned the racist video and called for the student's arrests.
    "Well, we're saying they must get arrested, I mean you know you can't deal with this thing through discipline enquiries only," said the chairman of the South African Human Rights Commission, Jody Kollapen.
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