‘We’ve had enough’ – women rise up against harassment at Wits

A group of women held a peaceful demonstration against sexual harassment and assault at the hands of police at the University of the Witwatersrand.

Titled “Black Women Subjected to Men with Big Guns”, students, staff and workers staged the protest, joined by a couple of men in solidarity.

One of the student organisers of the demonstration, who asked not to be named, said they were gathered because they had had enough of being victimised by the police.

“Men with guns victimise us on our campus. This is our space, how are we meant to feel safe? Women are the most vulnerable and that’s why it’s easier to harass us.

“We’ve told the VC [vice-chancellor Adam Habib] many times: verbally, on social media and in emails but we’re still not heard. When we go report at the gender equity office we’re told to go back and look at the name tag of the person who harassed you and then come report it again.

“How are you meant to go back and face the person who harassed you? And what if that person is not on campus the next day?

“This is why we put pads on the nyala. I think they got the message because they moved their nyala, but it’s not enough. We want them off our campus!” she said.

Maria Wanyane, clinical social worker at the Wits gender equity office said they had received sexual harassment reports but couldn’t give more detailed information.

“We have received reports but they are mostly reports by other people. We have very few reports [from victims] directly,” Wanyane said.

She said she would look into the reports for more solid specifics.

Meanwhile, exams at the university will go ahead as planned after the South Gauteng High Court dismissed an application by a group of students to postpone examinations.

The group listed stress, trauma and a non-conducive learning environment as reasons to delay exams, accompanied by a petition with 3000 signatures that supported the postponement.

However, Judge Willem van der Linde said there was lack of evidence and that the postponement would be a violation of constitutional rights of others.

Thulani Nkosi, the lawyer representing the students said they will study the judgement before deciding on the next step.

For the past six weeks the university saw student protests for free education leading to heavy police and private security presence.