A march against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) at Stellenbosch University (SU), held on the final day of Women’s Month, called for a standalone, publicly accessible operational framework for dealing with gender-based violence cases at SU.
Students pose questions to Jaco Brink, deputy director of the equality unit at Stellenbosch University, amid concerns about gender- based violence. PHOTO: Mophethi Mabeba
The march was organised by the Womxn and Queer Empowerment (WAQE) and the SU Anti-GBV community, according to the poster.
SU students marched from the Rooiplein to the university’s equality unit, located on Victoria Street, where they raised concerns about the institution’s GBV operational document and how survivors ought to be supported.
SU policy and documentation
The SU Anti-GBV Community had been asking for a standalone SGBV policy for almost a year, describing the delay as “completely unacceptable”, claimed Rumaanah Seedat, chief marshal of the march.
Among the demands were answers to questions about what happens when a student reports GBV, the response timeframes, available interim protections are available to survivors, and how students will be kept informed during a case, they said.
SU spokesperson, Martin Viljoen, said that the process had taken longer than expected because SU opted for further student consultation, legal and technical alignment, and language editing before finalising it.
In its response to the march, the university said the revised regulations include: provisions on interim measures, confidentiality, protection against retaliation, procedural feedback and clearer reporting processes.
It said 33 of 41 issues raised during student consultation had been incorporated into the approval-ready document, known as the revised Equality Unit Case Management Regulations, version 1.15.
However, no final approval date has been set.
Students questioned why they had not been given access to the document and raised concerns about their involvement during the march.
Jaco Greef Brink, deputy director of the Equality Unit, acknowledged communication challenges within the Equality Unit, and said staffing shortages contributed to this, including vacancies for a case officer and legal adviser.
The university has a Council-approved Policy on Unfair Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, which provides the broader institutional framework for responding to SGBV, which is updated every five years, according to Brink.
SU maintains that its existing policy provides an integrated framework for SGBV, harassment and discrimination, while the revised Case Management Regulations provide dedicated procedures and safeguards for SGBV cases.
The organisers said that they had engaged with the Equality Unit following the march and expected a formal response by Thursday, 2 September.
Stellenbosch University students march through the streets of Stellenbosch, as they call for transparency, student participation and accountability in the university’s handling of GBV cases, making themselves visible as a structure at Stellenbosch University (SU). PHOTO: Mophethi Mabeba
Viljoen said the university “unequivocally condemns” sexual and gender-based violence, and respects the right of students to gather peacefully, recognising the march as a legitimate expression of concern about safety, dignity and institutional accountability.
“We are the ones who are affected by this policy,” said Keabetswe Kgadima, women critical engagement leader for WAQE.
Kgadima further questioned whether students who report GBV cases see meaningful consequences for alleged perpetrators.
“We even have perpetrators who are wearing blazers, and we have students who have allegations upon allegations that they’re continuously working on campus,” said Kgadima.
Despite further probing by SMF News, Kgadima would not elaborate on who she was referring to.
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A protester holds up a sign calling for an end to gender-based violence during Monday’s anti-gbv march. PHOTO: Mophethi Mabeba
Members from the Justice Desk Africa joined in the GBV march in solidarity with Stellenbosch University protesters. PHOTO: Mophethi Mabeba
“Everybody should be participating”
Commenting on the small turnout at the march, third-year Computer Science student, at SU, Aidan Naud, said GBV should not be treated as an issue that only concerns women and student leaders.
Low turnout as students gather on the library stairs at Stellenbosch University. PHOTO: Mophethi Mabeba
“You don’t just want to see women and members of the [Student Representative Council] participating in a GBV march. I think that it’s a thing that everybody should be participating in,” said Naud.
First-year BA Law student at SU, Jana Smit, said her decision to attend was informed by her experience as a survivor of GBV and her family’s experiences.
She does not feel safe at SU and was not sufficiently familiar with the university’s reporting mechanisms, she said.
“I don’t know a lot about a reporting system. I think that is the problem,” she said.
Clarice Louw, programmes manager at Justice Desk Africa, a human rights non-profit organisation, with the main goal of promoting the power of everyday activism, said marches were important but needed to be accompanied by direct engagement with decision-makers.
Clarice Louw, programmes manager at Justice Desk Africa stands in solidarity with Monday’s anti Gender-Based Violence and femicide protest. PHOTO: Mophethi Mabeba
“We should tackle the people sitting at the top,” she said.
The concerns raised would be formally considered through the university’s institutional processes, with next steps including progressing the v1.15 Regulations for approval, closing the consultation loop with student representatives, and publishing student-facing guidance once approved, said Viljoen.
He added that the university could not discuss confidential individual cases or predetermine disciplinary outcomes, but could be transparent about institutional processes and timelines.