Tag: University of Stellenbosch

Stellenbosch University purges Verwoerd’s name by removing plaque

A plaque commemoraring dr. H.F. Verwoerd, the former South African prime minister and once a professor of sociology at the university, was removed yesterday after pressure from black political groups. One such radical group, Open Stellenbosch, is composed of the same people who threw human excrement at statues of whites at the University of Cape Town.

The removal ceremony took place at the Accounting and Statistics Building, formerly the HF Verwoerd building, and was attended by Verwoerd’s grandson, Wilhelm Verwoerd.

Verwoerd, who spoke of his own experiences in confronting his grandfather’s actions, said he undertook a “journey of the heart”.

He told the crowd he had advocated in the 1990s that names associated with apartheid should no longer be allowed, which was met with applause.

Ironically, it had been black South Africans who taught him to heal. “How do I listen, really listen, to the heartbeat of untransformed pain and the anger of mostly black citizens? I was told, ‘In our culture, we respect our ancestors’,” he said. He was taught that to respect his grandfather as a political leader rubbed salt into the wounds

The removal of plaque played a “small but significant healing role” in South Africa.

The event was also attended by Rhodes Must Fall member Chumani Maxwele, who threw the excrement at the statue of Cecil John Rhodes. He saw the removal of the plaque as “equal to the removal” of UCT’s Cecil John Rhodes statue. It showed “the students are willing to do what it takes to make sure the country becomes united”.

Former Stellenbosch student Jenashton January said the removal was long overdue. ” I hope this is the beginning of real transformation.”

Also read Letter: Verwoerd deserves respect and recognition at Stellenbosch

Letter: Verwoerd deserves respect and recognition at Stellenbosch

Professor Wim de Villiers
Rector
University of Stellenbosch
Private Bag X1
Matieland
7602

Dear Dr de Villiers

I am an old Matie who was taught by your father Sakereg (Law of Property) and Romeinse reg (Roman Law) in the late 1960s. I am writing to you in order to express my displeasure at your recent decision to remove a plaque commemorating a former graduate and professor of Sociology and Social Work at the university, Dr Hendrik Frensch Verwoerd.

During his term of office as prime minister, the South African economy grew at an average rate of 6% per annum compared to the current rate of 1.3%. Inflation was 2% per annum and black unemployment was 5% compare to the official figure of 26.4%, Cosatu’s figure of 36% and a fairly recent study of UNISA which gave an estimate of 40%. During the era of Verwoerd the Gini co-efficient which measures the distribution of each country’s national income, a measurement established in 1912 and recognised by the United Nations and other international organisations, the ratio was at the average of .45. To-day as a result of the corruption, incompetence, mismanagement and greed of the ANC, South Africa has the worst ratio in the world at .70.

During Dr Verwoerd’s premiership the average number of murders was 60 per annum and that figure includes the Sharpeville deaths of 69. According to the United Nations Statistical Year Book since 1994 an average of 20,000 persons have been murdered annually. Dr Verwoerd had an unblemished character and an impeccable record of public service, which may be compared to the current president who has over 700 criminal charges outstanding against him.

Dr Verwoerd was a devout conservationist and innate lover of nature. When the Transvaal Roads Department wanted to remove a giant harpephyllum tree which lay in the path of the proposed national road near Zoutpansberg, he instructed the department to build the road around the tree. When some shady businessmen tried to privatise the western half of the Kruger National Park for cattle ranching, he intervened immediately and forbad any changes to the boundaries of the park.

Dr Verwoerd was not the architect of apartheid, which was also known as separate development. That honour falls to Sir Harry Smith, governor of the Cape Colony, who created the first Bantustan of British Kaffraria on 23 December 1847. 80% of the so called apartheid laws were enacted by the Dutch and British colonial governments, such as the Cape Dutch laws of 1685 and 1743 which prohibited miscegenation amongst the different races. A further 10% of these apartheid laws were promulgated by the Botha/Smuts administrations, such as the Natives Land Act of 1913. The National Party was responsible for less than 10% of these laws, most of which made de jure what were already de facto customary laws. All these laws were drafted not with malice, but as a means for protecting the vital interests of the indigenous population, for the maintenance of their tribal hierarchies and to shield them from the depredations of the international bankers.

By tampering with our heritage nothing positive will be achieved. Pandering to the politically correct dictates of the liberal left is a soulless exercise which will only make matters worse in the long run, when demands may well be made to abolish Afrikaans as a language of tuition. Dr Verwoerd made a notable contribution to the development of our country. All the people of South Africa experienced an unparalleled period of peace and prosperity, and for that singular accomplishment he deserves recognition.

Did the alumni have any input in your decision? If not, why were they not consulted? It is our university just as much as it is yours; or is it simply a case of that we may make donations, but may not have any say in the philosophy and traditions of the university.

Yours sincerely

S M GOODSON

The writer of this letter is a graduate and member of the Convocation of the University of Stellenbosch. The original version of the letter was posted to Professor de Villiers on 6 May 2015. To date neither an acknowledgement nor a response has been received.