As the anti-rape campaign gained momentum and spread to Wits University campuses yesterday, Rhodes University vice-chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela was locked in a meeting with ANC Women’s League national leaders.
Among those present were ANCWL president Bathabile Dlamini, the League’s secretary general Meokgo Matuba, and the
ANCWL provincial executive led by provincial chairwoman Bukelwa Fanta.
Fanta told the Dispatch yesterday that they had secured the meeting with Mabizela and some of his senior managers after visiting the troubled campus last week and meeting with protestors.
While the meeting was in progress, Wits female students protested against rape in solidarity with their Rhodes counterparts.
Wits University’s Student Representative Council (SRC) and the Gender Office led a protest outside the institution’s Great Hall.
Like the Rhodes students‚ Wits female students bared their breasts and painted their bodies with messages that read‚ “My body‚ my choice” and “Still not asking for it!”
On its Twitter page the Wits SRC wrote “For far too long rape culture has been allowed to continue without any challenge.
“We live in a society with a justice system which consistently fails rape victims and rape survivors in the fight for justice. It is for these reasons that the Wits SRC stands firm and resolute in solidarity and support for the #RUReferenceList movement.”
Dozens of Rhodes University students last week engaged in a protest over a list of alleged rapists that circulated on social media on Sunday evening‚ April 17.
The protest arose after the launch of a rape culture awareness campaign which prompted the Rhodes University’s SRC to express its support.
Classes at Rhodes resumed this week following their suspension on Wednesday last week after hundreds of students took to the streets. This was amid the anonymous publication of a list of several names of male students who had allegedly raped or sexually assaulted women on campus.
The protesters took to the streets last Wednesday, damaging offices, plants and dustbins as students demanded the removal of the alleged culprits from campus.
They also called for the review of the Rhodes sexual assault policy which they claimed favoured perpetrators.
Mabizela applied for an urgent court interdict against the students following angry clashes between police and students during which several students were arrested.
The alleged perpetrators were forced into hiding.
Fanta said as an organisation that championed women’s rights, the ANCWL decided to visit the campus last week and get first-hand information from students.
“The scene of our half-naked children was a clear indication that something is not right at that campus. It takes a lot of courage for a woman to go public and protest in that manner.
“During our interaction we were shown the campus’s sexual harassment policy which we believe that indeed, it has to be reviewed because it puts the victim in a very compromising position,” said Fanta.
She was speaking of a clause which refers a victim to the division of student affairs, “in her absence, the manager of student wellness will handle the case”.
“The students are then advised to consider four options: to report for record purposes, calling in the alleged perpetrator and strongly be advised to stop behaviour; mediation or else disciplinary action”.
Fanta said the Women’s League’s concern about the policy was that it did not take into consideration the importance of reporting the case to police and having an assessment at a local clinic in case the victim needed medication to prevent HIV infection.
“Here you have a university with one of the best law faculties in the country, if not the world, but its policies do not talk to other legislated state policies.
“That is why these children feel unprotected here. We are meeting today to see how we can meet the institution half way in resolving this, for the sake of our children,” said Fanta.
Contacted for comment Rhodes University spokeswoman Catherine Deiner wrote in text message: “The meeting is still underway. I will revert as soon as I have an update for you.” — zineg@dispatch.co.za
ANC Women’s League enters rape debate
Among those present were ANCWL president Bathabile Dlamini, the League’s secretary general Meokgo Matuba, and the
ANCWL provincial executive led by provincial chairwoman Bukelwa Fanta.
Fanta told the Dispatch yesterday that they had secured the meeting with Mabizela and some of his senior managers after visiting the troubled campus last week and meeting with protestors.
While the meeting was in progress, Wits female students protested against rape in solidarity with their Rhodes counterparts.
Wits University’s Student Representative Council (SRC) and the Gender Office led a protest outside the institution’s Great Hall.
Like the Rhodes students‚ Wits female students bared their breasts and painted their bodies with messages that read‚ “My body‚ my choice” and “Still not asking for it!”
On its Twitter page the Wits SRC wrote “For far too long rape culture has been allowed to continue without any challenge.
“We live in a society with a justice system which consistently fails rape victims and rape survivors in the fight for justice. It is for these reasons that the Wits SRC stands firm and resolute in solidarity and support for the #RUReferenceList movement.”
Dozens of Rhodes University students last week engaged in a protest over a list of alleged rapists that circulated on social media on Sunday evening‚ April 17.
The protest arose after the launch of a rape culture awareness campaign which prompted the Rhodes University’s SRC to express its support.
Classes at Rhodes resumed this week following their suspension on Wednesday last week after hundreds of students took to the streets. This was amid the anonymous publication of a list of several names of male students who had allegedly raped or sexually assaulted women on campus.
The protesters took to the streets last Wednesday, damaging offices, plants and dustbins as students demanded the removal of the alleged culprits from campus.
They also called for the review of the Rhodes sexual assault policy which they claimed favoured perpetrators.
Mabizela applied for an urgent court interdict against the students following angry clashes between police and students during which several students were arrested.
The alleged perpetrators were forced into hiding.
Fanta said as an organisation that championed women’s rights, the ANCWL decided to visit the campus last week and get first-hand information from students.
“The scene of our half-naked children was a clear indication that something is not right at that campus. It takes a lot of courage for a woman to go public and protest in that manner.
“During our interaction we were shown the campus’s sexual harassment policy which we believe that indeed, it has to be reviewed because it puts the victim in a very compromising position,” said Fanta.
She was speaking of a clause which refers a victim to the division of student affairs, “in her absence, the manager of student wellness will handle the case”.
“The students are then advised to consider four options: to report for record purposes, calling in the alleged perpetrator and strongly be advised to stop behaviour; mediation or else disciplinary action”.
Fanta said the Women’s League’s concern about the policy was that it did not take into consideration the importance of reporting the case to police and having an assessment at a local clinic in case the victim needed medication to prevent HIV infection.
“Here you have a university with one of the best law faculties in the country, if not the world, but its policies do not talk to other legislated state policies.
“That is why these children feel unprotected here. We are meeting today to see how we can meet the institution half way in resolving this, for the sake of our children,” said Fanta.
Contacted for comment Rhodes University spokeswoman Catherine Deiner wrote in text message: “The meeting is still underway. I will revert as soon as I have an update for you.” — zineg@dispatch.co.za
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