Student residence sees CRL findings as ‘attack on Afrikaans’

MANAGEMENT at the De Goede Hoop student residence in Sunnyside, Pretoria is not perturbed by findings of the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural‚ Religious and Linguistic Communities ( CRL), which they believe are a “baseless attack on Afrikaans”.

The residence, which admitted University of Pretoria (UP) students, sparked controversy when it opened in 2016 and news broke that it admitted Afrikaans speakers only.

Last week the CRL commission released its findings on its investigation into discriminatory policies at the residence. This was after community activist Yusuf Abramjee lodged a complaint.

He asked for a probe into the residence, which was exclusively for Afrikaans and Christian students. He and other complainants argued the residence was unconstitutional and “apartheid in disguise”.

The residence is divided into De Goede Hoop Mans ( men) and De Goede Hoop Dames (ladies).

When the commission visited, it found only white students. In addition, students were expected to write an Afrikaans essay to motivate their application.

The commission has since recommended that the writing of an Afrikaans essay be scrapped. Further, the admission committee should be representative of all the demographics in society.

Abramjee said their reluctance to abide by the CRL showed a lack of transformation at the residence,which was still stuck in the past.

“It is absolutely disgusting that we still live with people who don’t want an integrated nation after two decades of democracy,” he said.

Abramjee said they would take legal action if needs be.

De Goede Hoop’s management said the commission’s findings were a baseless attack on Afrikaans and the preservation of the language.

A residence spokesperson, Kallie Kriel, said the allegations were baseless and untrue. He accused the commission of lying about the race of residents, saying they had no admissions committee.

He said the residence did house black students and that the CRL came at a wrong time, when no black students were around.

“We’ve never shunned anybody from our residence. We’re actually the only residence that doesn’t ask for a person’s race.

“There are applicants with light and dark complexions in our hostel.”

The commission has threatened to take the residence to court if it does not act on the recommendations.

Kriel said they were ready to defend themselves.

He also insisted that the residence’s policy was not racist and could not be compared to apartheid.

Rikus Delport, a spokesperson for UP, said the university could not comment on the matter because they have no official associations with residence.

“Die Goede Hoop has never been part of the university. It’s privately owned. No formal agreement or memorandum of understanding was ever signed between the two parties,” he said.