STUDENTS PUT TOUGH CARDS ON THE TABLE
Fort Hare class of 1968 shares ideas, concerns at reunion event
Rape, crime and decaying buildings concern UFH students the most at their campuses
Rape, crime and decaying buildings concern University of Fort Hare students the most at their campuses.
Students also bemoaned the lack of camaraderie at the historic university.
These issues were raised by students at the institution’s inter-generational dialogue hosted at their Alice campus with the class of 1968 as part of that class’s 50th reunion at the weekend.
Luminaries from the class of 1968 who attended included current UFH chancellor advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza, Professor Barney Pityana, Professor Shepherd Mayatula, Phyilina Letlaka and Mpumi Bikitsha.
Student Aphiwe Ntlemeza said UFH was a hotspot for sex crimes which she said were often swept under the carpet.
“The Alice campus alone is a hotspot with most sexual cases happening here, with victims suffering in silence because when cases are reported they are victimised.
“The institution cannot even keep an updated track of the number of incidents taking place, because if I would ask for stats now, they would not be a true reflection of what’s happening now.”
Ntlemeza said the issue of gender-based violence only received attention once an incident was reported by the media.
“We need to have continuous conversations around this topic and the institution needs to table how they are going to deal with it and who is going to be accountable. Nobody is ever held to account,” she said.
Another student, Madoda Ludidi, said the institution needed to shift its focus to the situation faced by students and focus on giving them a quality experience.
“If you want to see the institution running for another 50 years, you need to improve the quality of student experience on campus.
“Safety on campus is a serious problem and that needs to change because if we can’t be safe on campus, where must we go?
“We need to change the culture here to improve the experience for students.”
Sihle Lungisa said they had decaying infrastructure and this ended up being used as drug and sex dens by some of the students because nothing was being done about it.
Khanyisa Mabenca applauded the class of of 1968 for staying in touch and being united during the toughest times.
“The relationships and friendships formed during your student years have kept you united and the memories you speak of are so fond, with you each having had pet names for each other, something we don’t do here.
“We are just here to learn and leave, there’s no sense of belonging here,” she said.
Vice-chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu said: “It’s nice to hear the students express themselves so openly and outside the SRC and I’m glad this is being recorded so we can expand the circle of debate and dialogue to beyond these chambers.”
Buhlungu added that with no police cases opened or tangible evidence, he could not follow up some of the allegations raised at the dialogue.
Bikitsha said they needed to adapt an unconventional way of dealing with the problems.
“After 2007 there’s been a culture of ‘I’m in power, don’t question me’ and that’s something that needs to be addressed.
“We cannot keep quiet when we see things are falling apart.
“Sometimes policies and legislation may be barriers which is why we should do things the unconventional way and not be shy to talk about problems, particularly with the culprit,” she said.
Pityana said the class of 1968 planned to construct a building in honour of their reunion, but he did not indicate a timeframe.
The Alice campus alone is a hotspot with most sexual cases happening here, says student