DANIELLE PETTERSON The University of Kwa-Zulu Natal has launched an investigation after a student threatened violence against white and Indian students on Facebook. A student using the names of Siyanda Myende and Shle Shlobo has reportedly written: “Indians will never understand black people because there are too many racial differences. We are born to kill and tomorrow we will wipe out all the Indians on campus. Don’t show up because you will go straight to heaven.” And: “For whites we have already started with T Blanch so we are continuing from there tomorrow this is our country we don’t need whites and Indians at UKZN”. The student later apologised saying, “I was wrong, I am sorry for that human error. I will be quiet until the sun sets.” This did little to placate students who had been angered by the messages, especially those threatened by the comments. Vikarshan Goobiah replied: “Siyanda, u shall bare the fruits of ur unkind words. such remarks cannot b tolerated and in my opinion u should not b included in any university if thats the way your mind works and thinks. we Indians may b the Minority but we have every single right as you do. in the laws eyes we no different from any other race group, so your hate speech has only done harm to you and your fellow followers and not to us.” [sic] UKZN’s Executive Director of Corporate Relations, Nomonde Mbadi, says university management is disgusted by the comments and warned that any student that behaves in a racist manner will be dealt with. The comments emerged after violent protests took place on UKZN’s Westville campus over student housing and financial aid. Several students were arrested for public violence resulting in the university obtaining a court interdict prohibiting students from protesting on the campus. At the time of going to print lectures at the Westville campus had been suspended until further notice.
