NMU student leader apologises for 'sexual frustration leads to rape' comment

A Nelson Mandela University student leader has apologised for a comment he made about sexual frustration leading to rape‚ saying it was taken out of context.

The remarks by South African Students Congress (Sasco) regional secretary Athenkosi Daniso – made on the same day NMU students protested after an alleged on-campus rape – caused widespread outrage after a video of him speaking went viral.

Daniso‚ 25‚ was one of a group of male students discussing issues relating to gender-based violence (GBV) at the Sanlam Student Village cafeteria on Monday evening.

Consequently‚ the university will now be introducing mandatory GBV training to all students living on campus and in accredited off-campus residences‚ as well as to all incoming student leaders from 2019.

Daniso released an “unconditional apology to everyone who has been offended by my comments”‚ saying his statement was taken out of context.

He had actually said that the university should not take the approach of banning visitors to residences “because what is going to lead us to rape is to be sexually frustrated”.

The 18-second clip of Daniso speaking followed another student’s suggestion that male and female residences be segregated‚ with visitors not allowed in.

Gender equality activists said Daniso’s comments showed exactly why massive changes were needed in a country where rape was so prevalent.

- The Herald