Representatives from Rhodes University’s administration met with students in an open forum recently to discuss the possibility that Rhodes might withdraw from the Inter-Varsity tournament.
Representatives from Rhodes University’s administration met with students in an open forum recently to discuss the possibility that Rhodes might withdraw from the Inter-Varsity tournament.
The three-day sporting competition between Rhodes, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan, Fort Hare and Walter Sisulu universities is often criticised for the noise, mess and drunkenness that are synonymous with it every August.
Condemnation of Inter-Varsity peaked last year after the racist verbal abuse of Prof Fackson Banda by a Rhodes student, who was clearly identifiable in his traditional purple overalls, during Inter-Varsity weekend.
Campus newspapers also reported that security guards were assaulted by students, visiting and local students assaulted each other, while pepper spray and force was used to control the crowd on several occasions.
In November last year the Students’ Sports Council created a task team to defend Rhodes’ involvement in the event.
Head of the Council, Jess Goble, said the Dean of Students was originally not interested in continuing Rhodes’ participation.
“I think that the administration took our spirit for granted,” says Goble, “but we were determined.” She believes the Dean’s support at Thursday’s debate was a sign that she too “got caught up in the excitement”.
The debate highlighted what Lt Colonel Willie du Plooy of Grahamstown’s SAPS called “the ugly side” of Inter-Varsity.
He implied that public drunkenness, noise, theft, the illegal sale of liquor, urinating in public as well as drunken driving occurred often over the weekend. “All that stuff you’ve just mentioned – that’s like a normal Friday or Saturday night,” responded a student.
Municipal Councillor Michael Whisson seemed to share Du Plooy’s views, saying that residents left town every August to escape “the epi-centre of drunken revelry”, while those who remain remember it for its drunken and racist incidents, not sport.
However, this week, Col Frankes de Vis, who represents Grahamstown SAPS on Rhodes’ Safety and Events Committee, said that the police have no major concerns with Inter-Varsity.
De Vis said although reports accusing students of noise pollution doubled, there was no “real criminality”. He added that while the police “don’t say it’s right – this is a varsity town”. He recommended that residents exercise some patience but if they could not; “go visit your aunt in Bedford”.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela said that “the majority who attend Inter-Varsity are responsible, it is only a few who shame and embarrass the university”.
While Student Representative Council (SRC) President Eric Ofei challenged locals and the university saying “if you have time to complain, you must have the time to do something about it.”
This week Goble and George Kahn, SRC’s vice-president external, implored the university to take ownership of Inter-Varsity to make it a successful and safe experience for everyone. “There was insufficient security and planning last year,” said Kahn, “but those problems can be overcome.
“The university needs to come on board, last year the events at which students ran amok were organised by students, the university needs to put its money were its mouth is, take this event seriously and donate time and human resources to proper organising.”
Mabizela has asked that the Sports’ Council convene a meeting within the next two weeks at which the various parties will again discuss Inter-Varsity.
Goble hopes that this meeting will see the conclusion of the debate. “We are already planning for Inter-Varsity, we feel so strongly about it, we’re just going ahead as normal and hoping for the best,” says Goble.
While Goble says there is a possibility that the university will allow Rhodes’ sportsmen and women to take part in the event, but not allow Rhodes’ to host it in future she says that “a large number of the administration are keen to keep it in its entirety”.
