By Anga-Anganda Bushwana
Rhodes University (RU) is renowned for its outstanding academics and active student life. However, the university has a darker side hidden behind the partying and mingling. As far back as 2008, researchers C Young and V de Klerk found in two annual drinking surveys at RU with over 3500 students that “approximately half of the students reported drinking patterns that were hazardous, harmful or alcohol-dependent”. Three years later, in 2011, research conducted by the Centre for Applied Legal Studies for Soul City found that RU was “the university with the highest alcohol consumption”.
Fast forward to 2023, and Adrian February, an Oppidan representative on the RU Student Representative Council, says the university’s alcohol crisis has only worsened. “There is a misconception of entertainment and a lack of proper supervision to adopt a policy that will safeguard new students from getting entrapped by the notion that clubbing is the only cool thing to do,” said February.
Nandipha Plaatjie, a Rhodes Alumni currently working as a journalist for the SABC in Gqeberha, agreed. “The social life that’s mostly there is clubbing; as to how it came into being the most popular way of relaxing, I don’t know. I mean, we all got to Rhodes, and immediately during Orientation week, we were being offered by sub-wardens to be taken on a tour to New Street, where most of the clubs are,” added Plaatjie.
If you have ever stayed in Makhanda, you would know that New Street consists of many clubs with special student events, such as 37 on New for Tequila Thursdays and SSS for Karaoke Wednesdays. On Friday nights, students practice club hopping. “There are always alcohol specials; imagine having a tequila shot for R2,” said Sisenalo Makwedini, a 2021 SRC councillor.
The Wellness Centre, together with the RU office of the Eastern Cape Liquor Board, are two interventions the institution has made to deal with the issue. However, it is unclear how successful these two offices are in persuading students to drink less. According to February, “the focus of these initiatives may not be directed toward the actual alcohol users, which might be a contributor to the problem.” I asked February if he thought that the reason RU students consumed so much alcohol was because there were so many students in a town with such a small population. He replied that he did not believe it was not overwhelming student presence in the town that influenced alcohol misuse. “Instead, the institution’s failure to embark on effective alcohol abuse prevention programmes influences the students’ behaviour. There is no other alternative for them,” he said.
RU has an Alcohol Policy that sets out rules for alcohol at university functions and promotes the serving of non-alcoholic drinks. The policy also defines the penalties for breaking the policy, including fines and disciplinary action. However, many students continue to drink excessively despite the university’s efforts to encourage responsible drinking, and some feel under pressure to fit into the drinking culture.
One student, who wanted to remain anonymous, spoke of how she felt coerced into overindulging during a party. “I didn’t want to drink that much, but everyone around me was doing it, and I didn’t want to be the odd one out,” she said. “I ended up getting sick and regretting my decision.” Another student, who would only give her name as Vuyo, told Grocott’s Mail that there was a binge drinking culture at Rhodes, with students drinking to get drunk. “We have pre-drinks, after Pre-drinks, we go grooving (clubbing), and when the clubs close, we do posties (Post-groove) at someone’s house till the AMs,” said Vuyo.
The adverse effects of binge drinking extend beyond hangovers, as numerous students have spoken of being sexually harassed or assaulted while intoxicated. Some students felt that their complaints were not taken seriously, which led to criticism of the university’s handling of these situations, notably the 2018 rape culture scandal on campus. According to a poll by the university’s Gender Action Project, just 5% of students who had suffered sexual assault told the school about it.
When asked why they drank so much, some students mentioned academic constraints and issues from home. “I drink and smoke weed because it helps me forget about my academic problems and the fact that I might get excluded if I don’t pass this semester,” said one student who did not want to be named.
Siyolise Tokwe, a sub-warden at Chris Hani, said that it is only during the year when students are in Makhanda that the town has a booming nightlife. “I’ve talked to one of the club owners, and they confirmed that their business only booms during the year when there are students compared to the times when there are no students,” said Tokwe. “It’s academic pressures,” added Tokwe. The absence of alternate activities or gathering spots for students to socialise means that students frequently have little choice but to have fun in bars and clubs that serve alcohol, they say.
But despite the widespread drinking culture, some students actively promote a more wholesome and inclusive social environment. Nozipho Lukhele, a second-year BA student, declared, “I have never drunk in my life, and I do not intend to just because I am at Rhodes and virtually everyone else is doing it”.
Steps in the right direction include the university’s alcohol policy and initiatives like alcohol-free gatherings and awareness campaigns. However, more must be done, such as enacting stronger alcohol consumption regulations, improving support for those who have been the victims of sexual harassment and assault, and ensuring impartial and fair disciplinary procedures.
It is crucial to stress that not all RU students abuse alcohol excessively, commit sexual assault, or disobey university rules. Many actively try to build a more healthy and inclusive social scene. RU has wellness structures that can be accessed through the sub-wardens of the residences, and the Student Affairs office can even refer students to university psychologists. However, it is impossible to deny how harmful the drinking culture is to both individuals and the community at large.
RU’s Communication Division told Grocott’s Mail that the question of a drinking culture should be considered in the context of a larger socioeconomic framework, where substance abuse—whether it be alcohol or other drugs—occurs within intricate socioeconomic, personal, and lived realities.
“Knowing the complex interplay of variables is essential to addressing these challenges,” said the communication division, adding that it was simplistic to blame a perceived drinking culture on one or two causes.
“In a town that is reliant on a University and a University that is reliant on a town, there will be a heightened focus on certain aspects. It does not take the legitimacy away from alcohol abuse, but there could be an amplification on this based on the setting,” said a source in the university.
The communication division of Rhodes University said they acknowledge the validity of worries about alcohol consumption and also emphasise the necessity for a sophisticated strategy that takes into account the complexity of the issue.
It is critical to keep spreading awareness, promoting appropriate behaviour, and building a supportive community as the university struggles with these issues. Investigative journalism is essential for enforcing institutional accountability and promoting the required reforms. Rhodes can only confront the negative aspects of its drinking culture and work toward creating a more secure and responsible atmosphere for all students by making coordinated efforts both inside and outside the university.
