The Wilgenhof Alumni Association (WAA) and Stellenbosch University (SU) have come to an agreement on the naming process of the residence.
In a joint statement released on Wednesday (26 February) the alumni association and the university said it was pleased that an impasse has been resolved, paving the way for the settlement of the matter between the parties.
The agreement also ends the litigation process between the two.
This comes after the SU raised specific concerns about suspected unacceptable and secretive practices at the men’s residence in Stellenbosch, following the discovery of two abandoned, locked rooms at the residence, which were “inconsistent with SU’s values and expectations”.
According to the statement, an investigation launched into the matter last year, found that the rooms were archival in nature and spanned more than 100 years of history. The probe also established that the practices have been either discontinued or significantly reformed over the years.
“To the extent that any unacceptable practices remain, SU expects that the Wilgenhof community will make a clear break with these practices as part of the facilitated process that will be a catalyst for the continued transformation of SU and its residences,” the parties stated.
The university said it acknowledges that the WAA and current residents experienced the handling of the Wilgenhof matter within SU and, especially, the media portrayal thereof, as harmful to their reputation. “This was not SU’s intention, and SU apologises for this experience. Specifically, SU does not regard Wilgenhoffers, past or present, as physical or sexual abusers, racists or Nazis, and wishes to state so unequivocally.
“SU regrets and apologises for not counteracting the adverse media narrative in this regard. SU is committed to working with the Wilgenhof residents to ensure that the community (like all residence communities) can thrive within the values and expectations of the SU community.”
For their part the WAA said they recognises that the contents of the two rooms, and how these rooms were portrayed by the media and the report of the panel appointed to investigate the contents of the rooms, was experienced as disturbing and painful by many in the SU community. “On behalf of the WAA and current residents, it apologises to all stakeholders of SU for the distress caused. Although no harm was intended, and although many Wilgenhoffers have a different perspective on elements of the matter, the WAA acknowledges that the contents of the two rooms, seen from an outside perspective, are not acceptable nor in line with the norms of today’s society, as well as SU’s 2040 vision and its values.”
The WAA said it trusts that the Wilgenhof Manifesto, the guiding document for residents, will be a significant consideration in the renewal process currently being facilitated by experts.
The Wilgenhof Manifesto has been refined by the current residents of Wilgenhof and endorsed by over 1 300 Wilgenhof alumni. The WAA said it looks forward to working with SU management to “harness the new energy in support of a proudly world-class and rejuvenated residence to serve South Africa for generations to come”.
