The University of the Free State (UFS) is embroiled in yet another racist incident involving an employee and a student.
The Workers & Student Forum said a black security officer was allegedly sprinkled with urine by a white student on Marikana day‚ August 16.
"This incident happened at gate 3 (medical gate) of the Bloemfontein campus at the UFS. This is after the security worker‚ who was doing her job meticulously‚ had given the racist students the option to go back to their resident on campus to fetch a valid document (ID or student card) in order to exit the campus‚" the forum said in a statement.
UFS spokesperson Lacea Loader said the university is aware of the alleged incident.
"The management of the University of the Free State … is investigating it as a matter of urgency. The university views such allegations in a very serious light and will act swiftly and within our disciplinary policies and procedures once the facts of the case are established.
The student forum said this is not the first incident of a racist nature to be reported to the university this year alone.
"The Shimla Park incident [the rugby match fracas]; the outsourced workers for Phadisi [garden service] had eggs thrown at them by white pupils whilst on duty at Harmony student resident‚" the forum said.
Loader said the university does not want to rush to judgment until the facts are established. “Unfortunately‚ on previous occasions students have made damaging allegations which‚ on investigation‚ prove not to be true."
The forum said it will embark on a protest on Tuesday to submit a memorandum to the university’s management.
