Bohlale Selahle, spokesperson for the Frederik van Zyl Slabbert Institute for student leadership development, encouraged fellow students to start believing in the potential that Prof. Botman saw in them by making the world a better place and ensuring that Prof. Botman’s legacy lives on.
University of Witwatersrand
According to Wits Vuvuzela, the Wits Sexual Harassment Office (SHO) is currently looking into 25 complaints of sexual offences, including one of rape. This comes in the wake of the dismissal and resignation of four staff members over sexual harassment issues last year.
While most of the current cases involve students, there are some relating to male staff members being sexist towards female colleagues.
A disciplinary enquiry is looking into the alleged rape of a student at a party last year by a fellow student.
SHO director Jackie Dugard told Wits Vuvuzela that although these investigations have only just started, the SHO strives to raise awareness of the organisation’s support to victims of sexual harassment and a website has been established on the Wits intranet to improve communication.
University of Johannesburg
Advocate Vusi Pikoli launched his new book entitled My Second Initiation, co-written by Mandy Wiener, at a public lecture on ethical leadership hosted by the University of Johannesburg (UJ).
The UJ Observer reported that advocate Pikoli encouraged the public “to become active citizens in an effort to promote good, ethical leadership”.
University of Limpopo
All Faculty of Medicine classes at the University of Limpopo, including clinical rounds on Saturday, have been cancelled following student strikes. The SRC also ordered that all gates and access points to the campus except one be locked.
Students occupied the administration block and took staff members hostage. The staff members have since been released. Striking students allegedly also started fires in the building and broke windows.
According to eyewitnesses, one staff member was told that he would be stabbed if he tried to stop the striking students. There were also reports of female staff members being pushed around and having their hair pulled.
Students who are not involved in the strike have expressed concern that the strike will increase academic pressure once lectures resume.
It is not yet clear why the students are on strike.