Mother takes SU racism claim to Parliament

THE mother of the Stellenbosch University student whose residence room was allegedly vandalised earlier this week has escalated the dispute to Parliament, alleging racism at the institution and calling for intervention by the portfolio committee on higher education.

- MURRAY SWART [e-mail]

Education activist Vanessa Le Roux said she had written to the committee's chairperson, Walter Letsie, urging MPs to consider conducting an oversight visit to the university and investigate what she described as a culture of discrimination in student residences.

Her appeal follows an incident at the Majuba men's residence on Monday night when a student returned to find his room ransacked, with bedding, furniture and personal belongings removed. The controversy prompted the residence primarius to step down while investigations by both Stellenbosch University and the South African Police Service continue.

In her letter to the committee, Le Roux said she believed the matter had grown beyond the incident involving her son and raised broader concerns about what she described as racist behaviour and exclusion experienced by students of colour in residence spaces.