Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Prim Committee recently raised concerns that men’s residences at SU do not receive funding to appoint door monitors. This was according to Toni Solomon, chairperson of the Prim Committee.
“Most of the male communities feel that funding should be provided for door monitors for safety,” said Christo van der Bank, vice chairperson of the Prim Committee.
“Women’s residences [at SU] have door monitors because they are given funding for them, however it is an issue we are still trying to address that men’s residences do not have door monitors […] because there is no funding for door monitors,” stated Toni Solomon via written communication with MatieMedia. Solomon claimed that is a big issue, as it is “blatant inequality and as such [the Prim Committee is] trying to change this”.
Martin Viljoen, spokesperson for SU, confirmed that “the money budgeted for door monitors does not include all the male residences”. He said that, if the need arises, it would be assessed again.
“In a time such as 2022 where we are trying to achieve equality between male and female residences, it is sexist in our opinion to not allow funding for male residences,” said Van der Bank.
Stellenbosch University residences Monica, Harmonie and Wilgenhof are in the Victoria residence cluster. While Monica and Harmonie, both female residences, have door monitors, Wilgenhof, a male residence, does not. PHOTO: Tamara Wicomb
According to Alexa le Roux, primaria of Huis ten Bosch, a female residence, the role of door monitors is “to make sure uninvited guests don’t enter and burglarize or assault our residents”. She added that they “also control the entry of our visitors during visitor hours”.
Door monitors at Stellenbosch University’s female residence Huis ten Bosch are on duty from 18:00 to 6:00. The door monitors help the students feel safe and patrol the premises throughout the evening and early morning, according to Alexa le Roux, primaria of Huis ten Bosch. PHOTO: Tamara Wicomb
“This [funding for door monitors in male residences] is something we tried to negotiate about but was left unanswered,” claimed Eduan Beukman, primarius of Eendrag, a male residence. Primarius of Huis Marais, Jaco Joubert, stated via email correspondence with MatieMedia that he has “spoken to other Prims who asked for funding, but their request was unsuccessful”.
In most female and co-ed residences at Stellenbosch University (SU), there is a place allocated for a door monitor, who helps control the influx of non-residential students, according to Alexa le Roux, primaria of Huis ten Bosch. Clivene Draai, door monitor at SU residence Harmonie, is captured in the above picture. PHOTO: Tamara Wicomb
“In the past women were considered more vulnerable and a door monitor system, managed by fellow residents who can recognise when someone might need help and who are known in the space, worked well,” stated residential education (also known as ResEd) cluster convenor, Monica du Toit, via email correspondence with MatieMedia. “I think an unintended consequence of trying to create safer spaces for women by using rules, is that you start to overregulate female spaces or normalise inappropriate behaviours in male spaces by not expecting accountability.”