AfriForum Youth and 6 000 supporters demand banning of “Kill the Boer” chant on NWU campuses
AfriForum Youth and students of the North-West University’s (NWU) Potchefstroom Campus protested today against the university’s silence and its apparent unwillingness to publicly and unequivocally condemn the singing of the “Kill the Boer” chant on its campuses. As part of the protest action, a petition was handed over to university management with more than 6 000 signatures in support of a ban on the singing of this chant on NWU campuses.
Yvonne Gerber, Youth Development Officer at AfriForum Youth, handed over the petition to Dr Corrie Rheeder, Director of Student Life at NWU’s Potchefstroom Campus. AfriForum Youth members and NWU students also pledged their support for the campaign today and signed a giant banner with the words “Veroordeel ‘Kill the Boer’” (“Condemn ‘Kill the Boer’”).
Today’s protest action and demand for the condemnation of the chant follow after students chanted “Kill the Boer” outside university residences on the NWU-Potchefstroom’s West Campus on 5 June this year. In an official letter that AfriForum Youth sent to the university’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bismark Tyobeka, on 6 June the youth organisation urged university management to take action and publicly condemn the chant.
However, the university has so far only issued one general statement on 6 June, indicating that it is “aware of the incident that allegedly involved chanting”. The statement further states that the NWU “views the infringement or violation of human rights, policies and rules in a serious light, and strongly condemns any actions or behaviour that seek to undermine its [the NWU’s] values”.
According to Gerber, it is disappointing that the university did not mention the “Kill the Boer” chant by name and, in the meantime, did not take any action against the students involved or respond to AfriForum Youth’s official request to condemn the chant. “The university’s convenient silence on the matter is disconcerting. Not condemning the chant in particular means that a chant that shamelessly calls for the murder of a certain section of the population is simply accepted. However, an unambiguous position from university management on the issue is essential,” she explains.
According to rumours, which could not be officially confirmed, those involved were merely temporarily suspended for alleged noisy behaviour during the university’s test period. The outcome of the university’s promises of an investigation into the incident and that the matter would be dealt with “firmly in accordance with applicable rules and regulations” was not officially communicated. Furthermore, no feedback was given to AfriForum Youth, which had positioned itself from the outset as an interested youth organisation in this matter.
“AfriForum Youth’s message is clear: The NWU’s vague statements will not suffice. This chant instils fear, creates division and puts students’ safety at risk. Students deserve a campus where their human dignity is protected and racial tension is not tolerated,” says Gerber.
AfriForum Youth today reaffirmed its appeal to NWU management and demanded that the singing of “Kill the Boer” be unequivocally condemned; that university management must confirm that the chant is contrary to its Code of Conduct for Students; and that disciplinary steps be taken against the students involved.
“The university has a moral obligation to clearly and firmly demonstrate that hate speech will not be tolerated on an academic campus. Silence or vagueness about this amounts to complicity,” concludes Gerber.
