Team to probe NWest Varsity initiation
A five-member team has been appointed to investigate initiation practices at the North West University, the institution said on Thursday.
The team would investigate the welcoming and introduction of first-year students on all three campuses, it said in a statement.
The team included former Constituent Assembly deputy chairman and SA Human Rights Commission member Dr Leon Wessels, and NWU human rights committee chairwoman Rehana Rawat.
The other three were political analyst Dr Somadoda Fikeni, women's rights activist Rhoda Kadalie, and nuclear power expert Dr Bismark Tyobeka.
"The investigation team is expected to commence with their work shortly and must report back to council by 22 May 2014."
NWU announced last week that vice chancellor Dr Theuns Eloff had stepped down, following an initiation incident involving a Nazi salute. He was replaced by Professor Dan Kgwadi.
Eloff had on Friday told his staff and students that initiation practices were forbidden.
"Any form of initiation or initiation practices at any of the NWU's three campuses are strictly forbidden."
The Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC) committed itself to creating an introduction programme aimed at establishing a healthy
and welcoming student culture.
- Sapa