Lifestyle/Community
UCT Nazi propagandists given amnesty
ANT KATZ
UCT vice-Chancellor, Dr Max Price, said last week that an “executive decision” had been made to grant amnesty against prosecution to students involved in protest-related incidents between 9 March and 18 May 2015.
The events on campus that the students could have also been charged for include the defacing of the Cecil John Rhodes statue and the occupation of a building on the campus.
In SAUJS, Board lash out on UCT Hitler posters by VANESSA VALKIN and ANT KATZ, published on 20 March 2015, SAJR Online reported how a group of UCT students, calling themselves “Black Monday” had admitted to hanging huge swastikas, pictures of Hitler and other Nazi paraphernalia prominently on campus.
“So Jews can understand”
They also told SAUJS and the SRC that it was their intention to put their struggle against the Rhodes statue into a form that “Jews could understand.” Jewish students and the Cape Board were up in arms and the story made international headlines.
“Granting an amnesty means that we recognise that there were incidents of unacceptable behaviour that contravened UCT rules,” said Price, “but that we will not pursue any punitive action with respect to these contraventions,” said Price.
One of the reasons for granting amnesty, he said, was that disciplinary action against the large number of students and some staff “would take months to resolve and would be an ongoing source of conflict.”
Not “a capitulation to pressure” -Price
Price said that “restorative justice may achieve more than punitive disciplinary action.”
While he knew some would view an amnesty “as a capitulation to pressure” and call for more severe action, said Price, “our intention has been to insist on the boundaries of what we consider acceptable behaviour.”
It had not been a unilateral action, the vice-Chancellor said. “The executive have debated this extensively and we believe that the long-term interests of the university are best served by this course of action.”
Price, however, said clearly that an incident in which a student had been suspended for allegedly intimidating, verbally assaulting and racially abusing a staff member on 1 May had nothing to do with the protests and that he would not be granted amnesty.
nat cheiman
May 20, 2015 at 5:33 pm
‘The Black Monday students are perfectly entitled to put a Nazi flag up. They obviously dislike Jews.
As I am entitled to put up an old flag of South Africa and hang pictures of Verwoerd, PW Botha, Gen Dela Rey, Eugene de Kock, Jimmy Kruger and Derby Lewis in my office or even on my gate.
Thank goodness for the freedom we have in SA. ‘
Jonni
May 21, 2015 at 12:02 am
‘That’s the PRICE we pay. It’s called appeasement.
Regards Neville Chamberlain’
abu mamzer
May 21, 2015 at 2:16 am
‘Disgraceful!
בושה וחרפה
for you to resign Max!’
Myron Robinson
May 21, 2015 at 10:41 am
‘What rubbish. I call upon all Jewish UCT Alumni to immediately withdraw all contributions to UCT. Is Price trying to outdo the Anti-Semites. His argument is as flawed as my saying that whites were not the beneficiaries of Apartheid. What a prize idiot.’
Jeff Makor
May 21, 2015 at 11:14 am
‘The authorities should hang their heads in shame.
The driving force behind nazism was to irradiate that which they believed was a threat own/or inferior.
let it be known that those who ganged permission for such a vile display must harbour similar outlooks.
This isn’t democracy speaking, it’s nazi sympathisers doing what they do…hating jews and letting everyone know about it!’
Denis Solomons
May 22, 2015 at 11:09 am
‘Max Price sounds pro-Nazi and to the best of my knowledge he is Jewish himself !
Very strange ! ? ‘
Jonathan
May 23, 2015 at 5:38 pm
‘I am the chairperson of SAUJS at UCT and will openly say in my personal capacity that this article is flawed. We will definitely be writing a response to the Jewish report. The Amnesty does not cover racist actions and we are still working with UCT to find a solution. It must also be remembered that losing Jewish donors to UCT only makes the situation worse for Jewish students on campus. We need to work together and reach constructive solutions to ensure a safe place for Jews at UCT in future’
The truth
October 23, 2015 at 12:04 am
‘Foetsek @ nat cheiman. Funny how u live in the new SA but love the old….. Leave the country bro, you are not needed nor wanted… You will feel very much at home elsewhere. Stop attacking Jews and everyone else… This is Mzansi bro….. Look around’