Rhodes residences ordered shut after students hunt sexual assault-accused
Rhodes University students went looking for accountability when a list of 11 people‚ who have allegedly committed sexual assaults‚ emerged on Sunday night. The students marched to various residences looking for the individuals on what is called the “Reference List”.The topic trended on Twitter under the #RUReferenceList hashtag‚ with many students calling for a campus-wide shutdown‚ and for the university to take responsibility for the actions of the offenders on the list.Rhodes University vice-chancellor Sizwe Mabizela on Sunday night allegedly called for residences to be shut‚ to prevent the crowd from getting to other alleged offenders.A set of demands were sent to Mabizela‚ to be met by 4pm‚ from the Rhodes University Chapter 2.12 - "a campaign addressing rape culture at universities and holding management accountable for the inadequate way that rape is dealt with''.Demands include that the university proctors step down; a team be appointed to investigate sexual assaults; changes are made to the sexual harassment policy; sexual assault offenders may not run for SRC and that no student who is part of a protest will face disciplinary action.- TMG Digital/Sunday Times..
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