Tensions are boiling over at the Eastcape Midlands TVET College in Heath Park after a slew of racial complaints were levelled against a lecturer and the institution.
The lecturer has since been suspended and received a final written warning but the action has done little to appease irate students who claim their studies had suffered as a result of the alleged victimisation of predominantly coloured students.
On Wednesday, a large group of students and community members gathered at the Chatty Community Hall for a meeting arranged by the organisation, Cultural Community of Bethelsdorp, to air their grievances.
This, as Eastcape Midlands TVET director for partnerships and linkages, Lindithemba Sdeba, confirmed that a meeting was scheduled to take place on Thursday between the college, the community and affected students to forge a way forward.
According to students at Wednesday’s meeting, the lecturer had no regard for them and conducted her classes in Xhosa.
They were also allegedly chased out of class when they raised their voices.
Anastacia Thorne, a last semester business management N6 student, said the manner in which the college had dealt with the situation was wrong.
“The suspended lecturer only got a final written warning. That is totally unacceptable.
“In the meantime, we are ill-treated and harassed. Many of my fellow students do not get to register. And they are returning students. How do you explain that?
“They sit in the sun outside the whole day while classes are continuing.
“They [some staff] are [allegedly] a clique and they conspire together.”
Another student, Corin van der Linde, said she could not understand why she was unable register to complete her N6 business management studies.
A member of the community, Winston Lewis, claimed that the people of the northern areas had gone above to accommodate all races at the institution and subsequently the coloured students’ educational priorities were being sidelined.
“We are very lenient. Something like this will never happen in the townships.
“Our schools’ classes are filled to capacity to accommodate them.
“We cannot allow that our children are being ill-treated in our area. We must intensify our efforts to ensure that righteousness prevails.
“We must not leave things as it is. For me, this is a racist situation and a watershed moment.”
Another student, Kershia Human, said she got a billing form from the college and this prohibited her from registering which went against the policies of higher education in SA.
Sdeba said the community also needed to understand that there was a relationship between employee and employer and as soon as the allegations were brought forward it was investigated.
“The matter was brought to our attention ... the allegations were taken to test and the outcome was received from an independent person and the outcome was issued.
“On Friday last week, we had a meeting with the community and everything was put on the table.
“The understanding was that we meet on Thursday or Friday but between then and now we do not know what happened ...
“But we are confident that the meeting will take place tomorrow or Friday and hopefully the matter will be put to bed,” Sdeba said.
The Herald
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