#decoloniseyourmind

By Sabelwesihle Ngcobo – Chairperson Elsenburg SRC

“The video also creates the impression that Elsenburg is part of Stellenbosch University. This is not true since Elsenburg resorts under the Department of Agriculture in the Western Cape.” – Prof Wim de Villiers, statement in Response to luister (under the ‘misrepresentations’ section).

It is disappointing to think that that the academic world of South Africa now finds itself called to task by the very students that they ought to be giving direction to. What is even more heartbreaking is that within their highest of ranks they are proven to be so swelled by counter-progressive people that they would go to the embarrassingly low extent of disowning and distancing themselves from the thousands of students who have graduated under their institution over many years. They would do this all just to defend the evil system that they are paid to manage.

Well, here are a few facts that may help shed some light on this matter: 1) BAgric students who constitute more than 70% of Elsenburg student population: a. Are DIRECTLY registered students Stellenbosch University meaning they hold SUN student cards, student numbers, have full access to SUN facilities such as library etc. b. Participate fully on SunLearn as any other SUN student; c. Graduate with Stellenbosch University degrees in BAgric. SUN does not have another BAgric programme except for the one they offer through Elsenburg. 2) The chair of Elsenburg College Council is the Faculty head (Dean or Acting Dean) of SUN AgriSciences Prof Danie Brink. He is together with Prof Nick Vink of SUN Agri Economics Department on the same Council. 3) BAgric programme is the most untransformed programme at Elsenburg. Only one black African student and two black coloured were with the intake of 2014. 2015 is not more 5.

For years we have regarded ourselves as proud Maties. Many of us believe we have earned at least that much after the trying experiences that we were forced to endure for years at SUN. Instead of unnecessarily disappointing and causing confusion to many students and graduates, we would humbly request ‘Prof’ Wim de Villers and his highly paid and educated team to focus on answering the following:

1) Why do black students find themselves fighting language politics against lecturers and management? Aren’t these the people our country pays to facilitate learning? Shouldn’t these people be happy that they are told when not understood and then look for ways of being understood?

2) How many black students have fallen through the cracks due to this prioritisation of Afrikaans over their future and that of their families? We challenge you to bring to the public knowledge the figures of students that have enrolled and failed to complete their qualifications, all with racial demographics.

3) Is SUN really committed to training thinkers that will take the baton and lead South Africa to beyond 2030 NDP vision? We are a generation that is needlessly facing redundant challenges because of the cowardice of these academics that have now regressed and chosen to not only manage these oppressive and frankly violent institutions such as SUN and Elsenburg, but to even identify with that oppression to such an extent of using all resources at their disposal to fight those that are crying for justice.

‘Prof’, How can we work together to correct the evil that SUN has caused by crushing the hopes of a better life for these young South Africans who have been denied education and been left in debt and despair? WE are committed to helping get these young people, who the system you manage has disheartened and broken, back to completing their qualifications. We want to help them play their role in making our country shine.

4 August 2015

It has become apparent that there remains some confusion in the Stellenbosch community surrounding what exactly the Open Stellenbosch collective would like to change about the language policy. We acknowledge the inconsistencies in some of our own statements that have contributed to the confusion. The Open Stellenbosch Memorandum of Demands remains the definitive document, and any statement which contradicts that document is incorrect.

Here is a short summary of our position on the language policy: - We want all classes to be available in English. - We want an end to the use of the translator devices. - We would support the offering of Afrikaans classes, as long as those classes are also available in English. - We support investment in isiXhosa.

Open Stellenbosch is fully committed to multilingualism and language diversity. We also know that a significant number of Afrikaans speakers in the Western Cape are Black. However, our understanding of language diversity is one that gives full effect to the spirit and purport of the Bill of Rights. It is incorrect to talk about diversity, as envisioned by the Constitution and interpreted by the courts, as diversity of public institutions. What the Constitution envisions is diversity within public institutions. The fact that many other universities in South Africa are English cannot be a consideration, legally or morally, in light of the overwhelming evidence that the language policy at Stellenbosch University excludes students who cannot understand Afrikaans, and that the institutional culture excludes even those Black students who can speak Afrikaans. Real multilingualism recognises that language diversity is a powerful tool which can be used to expand university access to all South Africans. Real multilingualism does not serve as a rhetorical front to restrict access by protecting Afrikaans, under the guise of multilingualism, to the exclusion of those who cannot speak the language. Open Stellenbosch is fighting for a review of the language policy because the learning environment experienced by Black students at Stellenbosch University cannot be maintained this far into our democracy. However, our goals are consistent with a common sense pedagogical approach to learning that recognises the inefficiency of the T-option for an interactive lecturing environment. It is an approach that many lecturers and even some first language Afrikaans speaking students have been calling for. Our vision of a university that is welcoming to everyone, multilingual, and diverse, is one that every student at Stellenbosch University should be able to support.