Recent racist incidents at the University of Cape Town (UCT) are palpably a perfect mirror of an institution that is very resistant to transformation within its structures.
For those with short memories, recently, there were two incidents of a racist nature. As usual, those at the receiving end in both of them people of colour – one a coloured cleaner and, another, a black taxi driver.
Some have dismissed the incidents and others preceding them as isolated cases. Nonetheless, unfortunately, the so-called incidents are becoming one too many be tersely rejected.
Transformation SA online talked to a few alumnus of the so-called Ivy League institution to get a picture of the interracial relations from a student perspective, and a common sentiment emerged: the university is polarised across racial, class and ethnic lines. In general, there are cliques.
Attempts to elicit a comment from academic and support staff members proved futile.
However, in general, UCT is perceived as an institution averse to transforming itself in line with the country’s post-1994 political dispensation. And recent incidents will only add credence to that observation.