As racial tensions continue at universities across the country, students have taken a stand against the rage with social media campaigns that are getting everyone talking.
Universities around the country have been home to violent unrest since last year with statues being torn down, protests being planned & riots ensuing on campuses.
Student demonstrations have long played a part in South African politics. In 1976 black high-school students marched against the apartheid regime’s plan to enforce Afrikaans as the language of instruction.
Now, more than twenty years after the end of minority white rule, students of all races says they are protesting against the lack of transformation at the country’s universities, including high tuition costs and the official use of Afrikaans on some campuses.
But the majority of students are standing up against the violence & leading the country with ideas about awareness & education.
The first wave of change came from the University of Pretoria who gathered every morning in peace chain groups…
“As the youth, this is our chance to show our elders that we are moving on. We want to bring South Africa to a new level. We are consistent in our prayers. We want to go back to school. Gathering here should show how serious we are and how fast we want things resolved. We have tests coming soon and we have not been in class since Friday last week,” said Mudau.
“We cannot say we are a rainbow nation yet because we don’t stand together. We are here to prove that black, white, Indian, Chinese or whoever you are – we stand together and form the rainbow nation. Everyone is welcome here,” said Gouws.
They have since started an online campaign that encouraged people to take a picture of themselves with a person of another race under the hashtag #ColourBlind.
One of its supporters has explained the aim of the initiative in a tweet and says is to ‘embrace and acknowledge each other’s differences’.
The campaign urges students to “take a picture of themselves, with a person of another race, in grey-scale with a poster stating: #ColourBlind”.
“These students have made a decision to stand up and raise their voice in the form of a peaceful protest against any forms of racism,” the Facebook page states.
Photos posted to social media sites show smiling students of different races hugging and crowding around for selfies.
Students launch amazing campaign fighting racism, showing they are the future #ColourBlind https://t.co/go4bK2si2D pic.twitter.com/nxIxAnsOHz
— Brent Lindeque (@BrentLindeque) February 24, 2016
Social media users have however reacted sceptically to the campaign, suggesting that it is digressive. And such a new campaign has launched urging South Africans to learn about each others culture & heritage.
#TheLanguageChallenge is a simple concept where people from different walks of life video themselves saying positive affirmations in different languages together. They then nominate fellow South Africans to do the same.
“I am the new South Africa. I am Colour Blind. The colour of your skin shouldn’t degrade you/marginalise you from society. It shouldn’t determine your quality of life either. We need to learn & embrace each others cultures, we need to grow together, for a better South Africa” a student stated in support of the drive.
Even in the midst of skepticism & violence, the real leaders of tomorrow are looking to the future, working together, to learn about diversity & other cultures.
