The removal of the Totius statue, the dismantling of interpretation services, parallel medium  education and 50% black residents in campus residence by 2020.

These are some of the demands made by Reform PUK, a non-partisan student movement who had a meeting today in the Totius hall where they handed over a memorandum of demands to campus and university management. Jeanett Mosala explained that they wanted to create a platform for black students to voice their concerns and grievances without fear.

“It is historic because black students have never had the opportunity to do so,” said Mosala.

Ignatius Mokhatle who presented the manifesto to the management stated that they neither reject or hate Afrikaans but contended that Afrikaans is being used to exclude black students from the Potchefstroom campus.  He argued that it makes sense to use English as an academic language of instruction because more students could understand English.

“The interpretation services are an obstacle to our education and a reminder that we are not wanted at this university,” said Mokhatle to a cheering crowd of about 150 people.

Other issued raised in the memorandum was that there was not enough black academic staff, that the curriculum must be “decolonized” to include the works of more African and black ac  academics.

At the end of the meeting, Prof. Kgwadi assured the students gathered that they, as management will continue to listen if the students are willing to continue engaging. The group gave the university 7 working days to respond to their memorandum.

Read the Herald on Thursday for more.