Lawyers mull disciplinary action for race-row students

Lawyers for the University of the Free State (UFS) and two white male students who made a racist video involving black university workers were still discussing details of possible disciplinary action on Monday.

UFS spokesperson Lacea Loader said the process of disciplinary action was still ongoing on Monday as “the legally correct processes were continuing”.

The video, which caused a national outrage, features black university employees on their knees eating food which had supposedly been urinated upon by white students.

It was filmed last year by students from the Reitz men’s hostel.

The film depicts a mock initiation of five staff members into hostel activities and refers openly to the university’s diversity policy for campus residences announced in 2007.

The students involved had, in the meantime, rejected the notion that they were racists and said the ten-minute video was made in a “satirical slant” on a topic that was, then, prevalent and controversial. They also apologised.

Police are investigating a case of crimen injuria.

Police spokesperson Superintendent Annelie Wrensch said earlier a docket had been opened “based on the video footage”.

Loader also confirmed that the university’s quarterly council meeting had been “brought forward” to Friday.

“The Reitz video incident is one of the agenda points.”—Sapa