YCLSA ON THE VERDICT OF THE REITZ FOUR CASE

28 JULY 2010



The Young Communist League of South Africa(uFasimba) welcomes the courts decision on finding the Reitz four students guilty. This is after they shot a derogatory video of workers in the University of the Free State performing humiliating and barbaric acts of which the students supposedly found it harmless and humorous. This case unfortunately affirms that racism is still rife and characterizes most parts of our country and more especially institutions of Higher learning in this instance.

This case is not only about the students but the value system that has been entrenched from their homes. It questions how domestic workers are still treated within private homes of people such as the Reitz four; where unfortunately most of these workers cannot even access the judicial system.

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 case is merely a tip of the ice berg of some of the horrendous conditions that workers generally still find themselves in, in provinces such as the Free State, North-West, Northern Cape and the Western Cape .

We urge progressive forces of the PYA within the University of the Free State including union structures to ensure that they vigorously engage with management in addressing the inequalities which still manifest in the University of the Free State and also expose such cases and people, whether students or management who continue to resist transformation in the Institution.