NWU management’s silence on “Kill the Boer” chant is worrying

Soundbite: Yvonne Gerber (English)

Klankgreep: Yvonne Gerber (Afrikaans)

The North-West University’s (NWU) handling of the recent singing of the “Kill the Boer” chant on the Potchefstroom campus is extremely worrying, according to AfriForum Youth. A meeting that was scheduled to take place today with NWU representatives about the singing of this chant has once again been postponed at short notice. This is the second time that the University has postponed the meeting they requested with AfriForum Youth.

Coupled with the NWU’s failure to publicly condemn the singing of the “Kill the Boer” chant, this latest postponement sends a clear message that the University has no intention of taking students’ concerns about the chant seriously.

Last week, AfriForum Youth sent a formal letter to the vice-chancellor of the NWU requesting that the University condemn the singing of this chant in public and ban it on the University’s campuses. A week later, AfriForum Youth has not even received an acknowledgement of receipt of this letter.

“The NWU has no defense against the fact that it has been contemplating for a week whether to condemn the singing of “Kill the Boer”. Students must be able to further their studies in an environment where their safety is respected and their fears are heard. The NWU should not shy away from responsible and moral action against the singing of this chant,” says Yvonne Gerber, Youth Officer for Development of AfriForum Youth.

Meanwhile, AfriForum Youth has launched a petition in which thousands of students have already expressed their opposition to the singing of this chant. AfriForum Youth calls on the public to sign this petition in order to promote a safe and inclusive academic environment for all on NWU campuses.