Afriforum condemns death threats on Medunsa students
Afriforum Youth demands action by the Minister of Higher Education and the Human Rights Commission against those who put out death threats to non-boycotting Medunsa students.
Medunsa students who refused to boycott classes at Medunsa this week have been receiving death threats from their protesting peers. Afriforum Youth reported the intimidation and demanded action from the Minister of Higher Education, Dr Blade Nzimande and the South African Human Rights Commission (HRC).
“We have submitted our letters of demands to both institutions. Non-protesting students get death threats on social media, in SMS’s and on campus, while racist remarks are made towards non-black students if they do not participate in the strike,” said Afriforum Youth national chairman Henk Maree.
Student Representative Council (SRC) chairperson Malose Marakalala said some medical students have boycotted classes since Tuesday (28 August), claiming their original demands have not been met: “We are boycotting the classes as the university management has not responded to our memorandum. We only went back to the university out of goodwill but management has not sorted out our issues,”
Medusa student Saima Abdul said she was threatened after accusing the SRC of refusing to assist her with a previous issue.
Abdul wrote the following on Facebook: “I personally have been through a lot and when I went to the SRC for help all I got was rejection. I took my matter up right to the chancellor of the campus but all I got was rejection. It’s just that we keep quiet and do nothing because we know we are the minority. Nobody will come and stand up for us.” .
Another student responded to Abdul’s post by saying: “We must burn this Saima Abdul thing.”
Marakalala told Rekord he was unaware of such death threats. “We have never threatened students. It is sad that it has come to this point. The Medunsa Facebook group has members who are not even students and they are the ones who are not authentic. We know our members and it is not us.”
Meanwhile Marakalala took to the same group this week trying to convince non-black students to take part in the boycott. In his Facebook post Marakalala said it was disturbing that white, Indian and coloured Medunsa students were absent in all the meetings.
“Since I made that plea, we have been getting more support from non-black students,” Marakalala told Rekord.
On Monday five students were released on warning, following their arrest on charges of malicious damage to property for burning the main entrance of the campus and a car during their protest earlier in August.
Also read: Medunsa students released on free bail
Medunsa protest ends – charges to be laid
Medunsa students to vacate campus
Medunsa riot leaves staff stranded
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