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Racist video spurs protests in South Africa
by Rob Peters | February 27, 2008 at 08:26 pm | 487 views | 2 comments
Truly a sad and disappointing story. Perhaps the one positive is that it will bring attention to the issue of racism in South Africa--and everywhere else, hopefully.
Several white students in South Africa face criminal charges after allegedly forcing black campus employees to eat food that had been urinated on.A video has surfaced which appears to show the students instructing five elderly workers to drink beer and perform athletic tasks.
At one point, the University of Free State employees are apparently forced to eat food which has been urinated on.
Students and staff joined a protest march at the campus in Bloemfontein, and student groups say they are now planning to call nationwide anti-racism demonstrations.
The video was reportedly recorded in protest at moves to integrate black and white students in the same residences at the University of the Free State.
The BBC's Mpho Lakaje says the university is known for having predominantly white students since the days of apartheid.
The university says it has begun procedures to suspend the students allegedly implicated in the video, and says the alleged victims have received psychological support.
"It's not only the University of Free State," Mr Vamva said.
"We are saying that all these issues must be brought forward so that all the people of South Africa can see that racism is still a dominant feature in South African society."
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February 27, 2008 at 08:26 pm by Rob Peters, 487 views, 2 comments
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Comments (2)
at 20:43 on February 27th, 2008
Rob Peters, I like this story. It's good stuff. I hope it will bring some much needed attention to the issue.
at 14:08 on February 28th, 2008
UPDATE:
The South Africa media are reporting that a lawyer for the white students in the video released a statement that the events in the footage "were no more than play-acting".
Two students have been suspended from the school and could face criminal charges.
In the most disturbing part of the video, in which it appears that a white student urinates on some food and then shouts 'take, take' in Afrikaanas to the black employees, forcing them to eat it and vomit, some students have spoken out and said that the white student only poured a bottle of water on the food and then told them to eat it - he didn't actually urinate on it.
The black staff members have been given time off and counselling.
Read the updated story here.