Civil organisation AfriForum’s youth wing at the University of Pretoria demands the university deregister the EFF student command (EFFSC UP).

AfriForum youth wing spokesperson Rene Van der Vyver said EFFSC UP should be deregistered for constantly creating racial division among students.

Van der Vyver said the party behaved in an ‘inexcusable’ manner.

“We deployed private security to protect the students who feel unsafe,” she said.

“Yesterday, EFFSC UP took part in acts of intimidation, incitement to violence, the disruption of study responsibilities, and the fuelling of racial tension.”

Students claim to feel unsafe

She said their intervention came after students reported feeling unsafe saying that the EFFSC UP was boisterously campaigning for votes outside the ladies’ dormitories until midnight on Wednesday.

“They drove up and down the streets singing ‘Kill the Boer’ over a loudspeaker system. AfriForum youth takes intimidation seriously, especially when it endangers the safety of students,” Van der Vyver said.

The organisation said it has appealed to the university to take action against the EFFSC on several occasions.

“The university still fails to act, while the only response that AfriForum youth has received from them is a telephone call from a management member who claims that the EFFSC UP is not a registered student society.

“However, the university’s website confirms that the EFFSC UP is indeed a registered student society,” added Van der Vyver.

She said in the interim they have drawn up a petition to ensure the voices of students who felt threatened by the EFFSC action are considered and heard.

University spokesperson Rikus Delport said the institution would be in a better position to respond once it receives the petition.

“Once received, the university will give due consideration to the petition and any decision will be made based on the merits of the case, adherence to university policies, and applicable legal considerations,” said Delport.

The EFFSC did not respond to Pretoria Rekord’s requests for comment at the time of publication.