Protesting Rhodes University students held a number of their fellow students captive against their will last night after a list identifying alleged rapists emerged on student social media pages yesterday, Sunday 17 April.
Protesting Rhodes University students held a number of their fellow students captive against their will last night after a list identifying alleged rapists emerged on student social media pages yesterday, Sunday 17 April.
Grahamstown residents woke up to protests which had reportedly been going on since last night. When Grocott's Mail arrived at the scene of a student protest in New Street this morning, a small group was being addressed by Grahamstown police.
University spokesperson Catherine Deiner confirmed that the protesting students had held a number of students against their will until management and police intervened and ensured that the students were released.
Deiner said a list of names of current and past students had been released on the RU Queer Confessions, Questions and Crushes Facebook site with the hashtag #RUReferenceList last night, 17 April.
She said the post was shared to the Rhodes University SRC Facebook Page. Following this, a call was made to students to meet at the Steve Biko Building. Deiner said the group of protesters gathered at the SRC Offices.
"They proceeded from there to various residences and entered Jan Smuts, Calata, Cullen Bowles, Goldfields, and Graham House in an attempt to find the students whose names appeared on the list," she said.
A few students were held by the group, according to Deiner. The Vice-Chancellor, Dr Sizwe Mabizela and the Director of Student Affairs tried to engage with the protesters at Cullen Bowles, Graham House and again at the Drama Department; however these attempts failed, according to Deiner.
Deiner said Mabizela had engaged with students last night and during the early hours of this morning, instructing the protesting group to release a student who remained held against his will, and told the students they were breaking the law. "At 8am a student was still being held against their will and the SAPS assisted in resolving this situation," she said.
Deiner said the current protests on campus might trigger post-traumatic stress for rape survivors and that the counselling centre in the Steve Biko Building was available for students needing support. "We acknowledge the need to provide stronger mechanisms to support rape survivors," Deiner said in the statement.
A Task Team, consisting of staff and students that is chaired by Professor Catriona Macleod, will be constituted to look broadly into issues of sexual violence on campus and how systems and procedures can be improved on campus. Deiner said Rhodes University condemns rape and sexual violence and seeks to provide a consistent, caring, and timely response when sexual assaults occur within the University community.
"We acknowledge that we are a microcosm of society in which sexual violence and rape are pervasive. Rhodes University does not tolerate this culture and strives to be at the forefront of change in ridding our institution and our society of this scourge," Deiner said. Deiner said the university affirms the need for more effective education about sexual violence including rape.
"We operate in a constitutional state and we need to observe the rights of all." The Gender Action Project (GAP) has put their weight behind victims of sexual abuse and distanced itself from those participating in protests for the wrong reasons.
In a statement posted to the SRC page, GAP media officer Chelsea Haith said GAP stands in solidarity with all victims of sexual violence at Rhodes University. Haith said they support the campaign to end rape culture and to change the relevant policy at tertiary institutions across South Africa.
However, she said they do not condone or support the actions of people appropriating the campaign for their own ends or those participating or exacerbating the situation for spectator sport.
"We also do not condone the use of violence in this campaign. We understand the emotional place that many of the protesters are coming from. Your anger is valid, but we cannot fight the violence done to us with violence," she said.
GAP also condemned anyone that is forcing victims and survivors of sexual assault and rape to participate in the physical protest. Haith said this is an extremely triggering time for many of those personally affected and others.
"We ask that you respect their choices." Anyone who is experiencing triggering, please note the following helplines:
The Counselling Centre after-hours line number is 082 803 0177.
Alternatively, if you are in distress you can call the Stop Gender Violence Helpline: 0800 150 150.
Police hadn't responded to emailed questions at the time of publishing this article.
anele@grocotts.co.za
