A challenge to Fallists and Fallist supporters at the University of Cape Town

It is potentially wonderful news that lawbreaking fallist students at the University of Cape Town have applied for conditional amnesty for their violent and destructive acts conducted under the fallist “banner(s)”, subject to their commitment not to re-offend. Fallists now have two imminent, excellent opportunities...

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It is potentially wonderful news that lawbreaking fallist students at the University of Cape Town have applied for conditional amnesty for their violent and destructive acts conducted under the fallist “banner(s)”, subject to their commitment not to re-offend.

Fallists now have two imminent, excellent opportunities to live up to the now-peaceful “philosophy” underpinning their “movements,” and contribute to the constructive “decolonization” of UCT.

On Tuesday, 28 February 2017, the reconvened Annual General Meeting of the UCT Convocation will be held in Lecture Theatre 1, Kramer Law Building, University of Cape Town at 16h30 for 17h00. If you qualify as members of the Convocation, fallists and supporters – please come and participate respectfully and peacefully. Sadly, the initial meeting on 15 December 2016 was disrupted by lawbreaking fallist elements.

At this meeting I will, once again, try to present my motion, calling for the 100 000+ members of the Convocation to be allowed to express their confidence (or lack thereof) in the UCT Executive’s decision to negotiate with lawbreaking (or lawbreaker-supporting) individuals.

On the following day, 1 March 2017, Prof. Penelope Andrews, the internationally-respected Dean of UCT’s Faculty of Law and member of the Internal Reconciliation and Transformation Commission Steering Committee (IRTC SC), will be giving a talk at 18h00 for 18h30 entitled: Transformation and decolonisation at UCT: Capitulation to student protests or a constitutional imperative? at the Ned Doman High School, St Athens Road, Athlone. Please attend and contribute respectfully and peacefully, especially with regard to communicating your definition of “decolonization” and your vision for implementing it at UCT.

With regard to the rescheduled Convocation AGM, I have sent two e-mails to Convocation Secretary Royston Pillay (UCT’s Registrar) and Vice Chancellor Max Price. Amongst other things, I have requested that there is adequate security to prevent another “unexpected” illegal invasion, and detain (and hold accountable) invaders who persist. I would also like the AGM’s proceedings video-taped to ensure that any nefarious activities are documented unequivocally. Only then can the University of Cape Town community learn how their beloved institution is being ‘run’.

I have not even had an acknowledgement of the receipt of my e-mails from VC Price or Registrar Pillay.

With regard to the talk on decolonization, I encourage individual fallists and members of its multifarious factions (and indeed the whole UCT community) to think about what it means to them in principle and practice. They should then consider passing on their ideas directly to the IRTC SC through its Secretary, Ms Judy Favish, or, if necessary, to UCT’s Deputy VC responsible for transformation, Prof. Loretta Feris.

For some of my thoughts on the process, please read this article.

See you next week!

ALWAYS FORWARD NEVER BACKWARD

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2 comments

  1. Zaggeta Reply

    Good luck, Professor!

  2. Gillian Benade Reply

    Here’s hoping for reason to prevail.


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