[imagesource: Twitter / BBC]
By now, you’ve likely seen or at least heard about the video of a white Stellenbosch University student urinating on a black student’s belongings.
Both students are members of the Huis Marais residence, and the white student has since been suspended.
Spokesperson Martin Viljoen confirmed the suspension, saying the university “strongly condemns the destructive, hurtful and racist incident”.
News24 quotes Viljoen as saying that “a further swift but detailed investigation will determine the final outcomes” and “expulsion and/or criminal charges” are still possible.
Babalo Ndwayana filmed Theuns du Toit in the early hours of Sunday morning. He shares a room with one of du Toit’s friends:
A white student urinates all over a black first year students room, claims this what ‘they’ do to black boys. I cannot keep quiet about this, justice need to be served. I urge you to play your part so this cannot be covered up pic.twitter.com/kbPVZuP6YT
— Simangaliso (@Wanda_Smash) May 15, 2022
A video showing du Toit’s apology to Ndwayana at an emergency house meeting has also been widely criticised for showing a lack of remorse:
Apology from the first year student who peed on another black student’s laptop just before exams. Is this all the punishment? #Stellenbosch #stellenboschuniversity pic.twitter.com/4XM6aor83q
— unknown user (@jhanaleletss) May 16, 2022
The Sowetan reports that du Toit is alleged to have told Ndwayana, “It’s a white thing, boy.”
“After he started urinating my initial thought was to fight him, but a neighbour who heard what was happening came and told me to rather film him because I will get in trouble and the whole thing will turn into me assaulting him,” he said.
“I felt violated and I am still traumatised. My right to privacy and dignity where violated.”
Ndwayana, a first-year student in agricultural business management, appeared on Newzroom Afrika and described what happened:
#StellenboschUniversity has suspended a white student after a video emerged showing him urinating on a black student’s belongings.#Newzroom405
University Student, Babalo Ndwaya, and Director of Student Affairs, Dr. Choice Makhetha weigh in.
WATCH: https://t.co/5Ow5PcjZzZ pic.twitter.com/DgZfLnPyIJ
— Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) May 16, 2022
Speaking to News24, Ndwayana said he was not vengeful and if du Toit approached him to say sorry, he “would forgive him”:
“[My parents] are very upset. I tried to calm them down and [told them] they must not worry. My father said I must lay criminal charges, but I said to him it’s already enough now. He’s also someone’s child and the way [they] feel about what’s happening to me… This thing also traumatised him.”
Ndwayana was said to be “overwhelmed by the show of support” as students gathered outside the university’s administration building and spoke of incidents of discrimination they have suffered while studying at Stellenbosch.
Vice-chancellor Prof Wim de Villiers said that they are “are appalled by this type of behaviour” and it “will not be tolerated at the university”.
