The four former University of Free State students known as the “Reitz Four” were each sentenced to a R20 000 fine or 12 months imprisonment in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s court on Friday.
RC Malherbe, Johnny Roberts, Schalk van der Merwe and Danie Grobler on Tuesday pleaded guilty to a charge of crimen injuria.
The charges relate to their humiliating five black workers in an initiation-type ceremony in 2007, which they filmed while living at the University of the Free State’s now-closed Reitz men’s residence. In it the four women cleaners and a man are seen on their hands and knees eating food that had apparently been urinated into by a white student. It also showed the women drinking from bottles of beer, racing against each other, dancing and playing rugby.
The defence counsel of the former students asked the court after sentencing for a deferred fine order.
Counsel Christo Dippenaar asked the court if the students could pay off the fine over a certain period.
The court adjourned so that the state and defence could consult. – Sapa