Rhodes University’s vice-chancellor, Dr Saleem Badat, said the university will investigate the alleged racial abuse of a prominent academic during the Inter-Varsity sports weekend.
Rhodes University’s vice-chancellor, Dr Saleem Badat, said the university will investigate the alleged racial abuse of a prominent academic during the Inter-Varsity sports weekend.
According to the statement released by Rhodes University, at least six students dressed in purple and white overalls were standing in the middle of South Street making rude signs at motorists. Professor Fackson Banda, who is chair of Journalism and Democracy at the Rhodes School of Journalism and Media Studies was in the company of his wife and two year old.
Banda’s wife, who was driving the family vehicle, was forced to stop and cautiously drive past the students. One student allegedly shouted out: ‘Niggers".
Badat responded to the incident saying, “I am hugely distressed by this despicable behaviour, which I condemn in the strongest possible terms.”
He said the racial abuse is “an affront not only to an outstanding and respected colleague and his family, but to humanity and all that we stand for at Rhodes University.”
Campaign against racism
The vice-chancellor appealed to witnesses or anyone who might have knowledge of the incident to help identify the group of misbehaving students and particularly the student who abused Prof Banda and his family.
Badat also announced that there will be a three-day programme aimed at raising awareness of racism and racial abuse on campus. Badat said the Dean of Students office would be printing hundreds of posters and stickers for the programme, starting Monday, 24 August, and called on lecturers, residence wardens, departmental managers and student and worker leaders to “consider appropriate ways” of taking up the issue.
