ANC YOUTH LEAGUE FREE STATE STATEMENT ON JONATHAN JANSEN:

The ANC Youth League is outraged by the decision of the Rector of the UFS, to withdraw the charges against these white students, whose conduct still reflects that white Afrikaner Community in that institution would do everything in their power to protect the legacy of the past.

Internal processes should have been allowed to take their course. It is unfortunate that the Rector of the UFS through his unilateral decisions confirmed that he will remain a conveyer belt of the volkstaat group that is still hell-bent in preserving the racist attitudes.

We want to know how the Rector made a determination on this important political and national building question without consultation with all the relevant stakeholders. This decision cannot be an answer to resolving problems of racism that have bedeviled this university for more than 100 years.

In fact this short cut to reconciliation will not assist in this regard. It is our view that the Rector of the University Jonathan Jansen whilst appears to be championing the transformation program of the new University but remains a replica of the previous Rector and his administration.

The conduct of Jonathan Jansen of disregarding the popular view on the ground is not isolated from other racist activities that have taken place in that campus before.

In our view, therefore Jonathan Jansen is also a racist. The determination to shoot and kill criminals, which in our view reflects a militant and radical approach, must be used to kill racism in our country. The leadership of Jonathan Jansen has not inspired us and has failed to deal with many of transformation issues at UFS so he must go. Our call is that Jonathan Jansen must be expelled and the University Council be disbanded, and allow sober leadership to take the University of Free State through a transformation programme, which does not celebrate racists.

Statement issued by Thabo Meeko ANC Youth League Free State chairperson, October 27 2009

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