AfriForum Youth demands transparency from public universities on racial classification information

AfriForum Youth today sent a formal application in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act (PAIA) to all 26 public universities in South Africa. This application forces these universities to disclose racial classification information to the youth organisation.

Through the PAIA applications, AfriForum Youth wants to establish universities’ policies on racial classification. The questions force the universities to disclose how they justify the classification, of prospective and current students, based on their race. The process the universities follow to determine an individual’s race must be explained as well as whether the universities give students the option not to classify and reveal their race.

Members of the youth organisation, gathered at the University of Pretoria (TUKS) this morning and walked to the administration building to physically present the PAIA application. The students wore T-shirts with the simple statement “African” printed on them. The action was taken to demonstrate the nationwide filing of the PAIA applications regarding public universities’ racial classification policies.

“The government argues that Afrikaners do not belong in South Africa and therefore cannot refer to themselves as ‘African’. However, this designation is used to indicate our country of birth, and in this sense, Afrikaners are also fully Africans,” says René van der Vyver, spokesperson for AfriForum Youth.

The youth organisation is awaiting information from the respective universities to determine which steps must be taken next to ensure that students are not discriminated against at South African public universities because of racial policies.

“AfriForum Youth takes a strong stand against racial classification that unquestionably leads to racial discrimination. Students should be selected and treated solely on merit and not on race. We will continue to put pressure on universities to stop racially motivated policies, regulations, and laws to which the so-called ‘non-racial’ ANC clings,” concludes Van der Vyver.