The Young Communist League (YCL), Democratic Alliance, ANC Youth League, Freedom Front Plus, and labour federation Cosatu have joined the masses in welcoming the courts decision in finding the Reitz four students guilty of crimen injuria.

Speaking to TimesLIVE, the DA’s shadow Higher Education minister Dr. Wilmot James said, “We are glad the law has taken its course; this is what happens when you adhere to the rule of law and have an efficient court system.”

“Although the court must make its independent decision, the sentencing of the four students must highlight that, what they did with the employees was totally unacceptable,” spokesman of the ANCYL Floyd Shivambu said.

Cosatu spokesman in the North West province Solly Nani Phetoe said, “At least justice have been served- we are now calling on the Human Rights Commission and the Department of Justice to initiate a high high high sentence for the four racist students, to serve as an example that racism has no place in our country,”.

Freedom Front Plus Youth Leader in Bloemfontein Jan Van Nierkerk said, his party was glad the 3-year-old trial was finally coming to an end, “We have been calling for a fair trial all along and it seems like they got it,” he said.

When asked about his view on what the sentencing of the four should be, Van Nierkerk said, “The students have been polarised by both the media and the Human Rights Commission,” he continued, “It’s is high time the judges and prosecutors realise that nobody will win out of this situation- the whole thing must come to an end,” he finalised.

The YCL said, “This case which affirms that racism is still rife in our society is not only about the students but the value system that has been entrenched from their homes,” the YCL continued, “We hope that the Judge will ensure that the sentence imposed on these boys is one which will send out a strong message to individuals who continue to undermine our democracy and believe that racism still has a place in South Africa,”.

The Reitz four case will be finalised tomorrow in Bloemfontein where the judge is expected to hand out sentencing.