We have a crisis wherein rape culture is perpetuated through the use of misogynistic language, the objectification of women’s bodies, and the glamorisation of sexual violence, thereby creating a society that disregards women’s rights and safety.
Women’s rights are human rights; Full Stop. This is a non-negotiable!
In Mandela University spaces, we must condemn instances where victims are blamed (“she asked for it”); men must put an end to their self-inflicted masculine culture of preying on 1st years in the name of “scoring”. There must not be pressure on women students to be forced to drink alcohol in the name of “fun games” or avoiding to be labelled as being “appearing cold”; and nobody must feel like they have to sleep with anyone because in return they will gain access to University services.
I urge everyone who goes through these experiences to report immediately to my office and all other available channels of the University. This includes approaching the South African Police Service because these are heinous criminal offences.
When students report these cases, the University has committed to act with precision and supreme urgency. To this end, we have directed our investigators at Protection Services to conclude today, the 28th of February, all outstanding investigations so that the prosecutions disciplinary processes can be instituted. This will make real our commitment to prioritise gender based violence cases by our disciplinary tribunal. In addition to the provision of counselling services to victims and other support systems, the University will continue to take stringent measures including summary suspension of the perpetrator where there is prima facie evidence of violation of our policies.
The University is committed to pursuing a battle against this inhumane and gross violation of the rights of our women students. We have bolstered capacity in the Deans Office so as to enable the focused championing of educational and awareness campaigns, including activating women as champions and leaders of the anti-gender based violence struggles.
We have also enjoined My Mandela SRC and other structures to be at the forefront of implementing interventions that will uproot patriarchy as a social structure that governs the masculine behaviour and misogynist attitudes of our students. I urge students to work as a solidarity assemblage that is determined to lead from the front and act as a bedrock support system for their peers who have suffered and been affected by this violence. We must collectively create an environment that makes it easy to report rape and hold perpetrators accountable. This can only be possible if we build a Mandela University Movement against Gender Based Violence.
Rape is violence because it is a force intended to hurt, damage, control, dehumanize, and kill someone.
Mandela University upholds and promotes inter alia the values of gender equality, social justice, Ubuntu, forbearance, diversity and civility. I therefore call upon all members of the student community to be part of a crusade to give real meaning to these compelling values and thus creating conditions for every student and stakeholder that encounters the University to experience a qualitative projection of values that are evocative of the iconic character and legacy of our name sake, Tata Madiba.
We have no option but to live the legacy and this task is not intractable especially if we act in unison in holding accountable those whose actions are inimical to the values we espouse.