This was after a Facebook post by student Xhanti Ndala Momane giving a “friendly warning” to “Stellenbosch University, Elsenburg college of agriculture and Grootfontein College of Agriculture”.
Momane wrote in the social media post that these institutions had been “undermining” black students for “decades” and this “must come to an end”.
A screenshot of Xhanti Ndala Momane’s post on FaceBook.
He further wrote, “these institutes must change if needs be let blood split [sic]”.
Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly ,Momane said the post had been misinterpreted. “I want information directly from the lecturer, I want it in English. I find it (Afrikaans) confusing. I’m fighting for a language that’s not mine.”
According to Momane some students were getting second rate tuition, with lectures being in Afrikaans, English students had to rely on translated notes.
Chairperson of the representative organisation for the South African Students Congress at Grootfontein campus and vice chairperson of the Grootfontein SRC Mketo Thmbela said they held a meeting with Grootfontein staff to clarify that black students were not going to attack anyone: “We want the education we paid for and to resume classes as early as possible,” he said.
Tino Herselman, director at Grootfontein, said parents of students were informed via SMS that the Grootfontein directorate had held deliberations with the SRC during which it was confirmed by all that there was no threat of any planned violent actions.
“Everybody is committed to a peaceful campus, students will all attend a compulsory student meeting this coming Tuesday (8 September) afternoon. Classes will resume on Wednesday (9 September) as on the timetable,” Herselman said.
