/ 19 September 2008

Sasco protests over racism at UJ

A group of students protested at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) on Friday over allegations of racism, the South African Students Congress (Sasco) said.

Spokesperson Logic Modibedi alleged that black students were being victimised by white students.

He cited two examples: a fire extinguisher being emptied in a black student’s residence, and an attack on a black student that left him with a R75 000 doctor’s bill for treatment to his skull.

Modibedi said the memorandum Sasco planned to present to management would demand the resignation of the director of student accommodation and the renaming of the residences.

It believed these were a carry-over of cultures from when the university was known as the Rand Afrikaans University.

Alomdraai and Dromedaris are among the names they object to.

University spokesperson Herman Estherhuizen confirmed that students were gathering for a march and that the executive director of student services, Bobby Mandew, would receive their memorandum. — Sapa