Racist behaviour in Buffalo, Stellenbosch have the same roots – Ahmed Kathrada Foundation

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation has condemned racist behaviour and any behaviour that seeks to degrade and dehumanise any other person.

This comes after the recent incident that took place at Stellenbosch University on Sunday morning in which white student Theuns du Toit was videoed while urinating all over a black student’s desk.

The 20-year-old black student Babalo Ndwayana filmed the incident on his cellphone and the footage has been shared and criticised on social media.

The Ahmed Kathrada Foundation said it is equally angered by the racially motivated killings in Buffalo, USA, where 14 people were killed in a racially motivated attack.

“These two incidents of racism in South Africa and the USA must not only be condemned but must foster greater introspection of how these have come about. These events, in two different countries and continents have similar roots.”

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The Foundation said questions need to be asked about where young people learn this racial hatred from.

“How much of their world views were shaped at home, in the schools they attended, the places of worship they might have frequented regularly or the social circles that would have spent much of their time. Their choices of social media sites could also be a key influencer of the behaviour of hate.”

“These actions of hatred filled mind-sets of being superior racially and nationally is what would have caused the assassination of Palestinian journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and is also what drives the persecution of Muslims, Christians and Dalits in India and the rising xenophobia in South Africa and in many parts of the world,” the Foundation said.

The foundation has called on Stellenbosch University to take a strong and decisive stance against the student.

“This should not exclude the possible opening of charges of hate speech or other civil charges. Beyond punishment, there is a need to subject him to programmes that will aid in his possible unlearning of his racial hatred.”

“It is important for institutions and organisations to show that racism will not be tolerated,” said Executive Director at the Ahmed Kathrada Foundation, Neeshan Balton.

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