WATCH | UFH students protest over campus sexual violence

Gender-based violence and sexual harassment at the University of Fort Hare once again came under the spotlight on Wednesday when hundreds of students staged a silent protest outside the EL campus.

Protest organiser Diana Murote, president of Students for Science and Justice, said the aim was to put more pressure on university management to have a sexual harassment policy passed.

“We hope the university got the message loud and clear,” she said.

In October last year, the Daily Dispatch reported on a law faculty lecturer who resigned after a case of sexual harassment had been lodged against him. It also emerged that the same lecturer was accused in May of sexually violating another student.

Murote claimed that because there was no sexual harassment policy, he continued lecturing.

“The fact that we were taught by someone who had these allegations against him made us feel uneasy,” she said.

One of the students who had spoken out said a policy would have prevented the incident. She said there was no support given to her after she reported the matter.

“I was not even given counseling,” she said.

UFH deputy vice-chancellor John Hendricks publicly apologised to the victims on Wednesday.

“I would like to apologise. We apologise for not suspending the lecturer when the first incident was reported.

“Apologies are absolutely in order for everything that has been going on in terms of sexual harassment and gender-based violence over the past few years. We are going take this very seriously going forward,” he said.

The lecturer only resigned in October after the masters student reported a sexual harassment case against him.

On Wednesday, students staged a silent march outside the East London campus.

Emotions ran high as one of the victims narrated how the university had failed her.

She said the university could not make excuses for failing to act. “We will have to find means to approve this policy as soon possible,” she said.

Hendricks said the issue should be taken to other faculties as well. “This is not just a law faculty issue. I am sure there are similar issues in other faculties as well. Other faculty forums must bring the issue to the fore,” he said.

SRC member Prince Chigume told the Hendricks that they were giving the university until the end of April to get the policy in place.

He said it was painful that management was quick to call the police to act against protesting students, but allowed staff who harassed students sexually to stay on.