"What's Happening Here?": Revisiting a 2012 Video of White South African Students in Blackface, Citing Discrimination Claims

A recently resurfaced news video depicting several white South African students wearing Blackface is gaining significant attention on the social platform X, formerly known as Twitter.

The video, dating back to January 2012, features students associated with Afriforum Youth, a group known for advocating minority rights. In the video, they are seen staging a demonstration at the Department of Higher Education and Training to challenge the admissions policies of the University of Pretoria's veterinary institute, which is the country's only institution of its kind.

Members of an organization have accused school officials of unjustly discriminating against white students and denying them entry while favoring Black students. In an attempt to illustrate their point, they resorted to painting their faces black, aiming to emphasize their claim that they need to appear Black to be treated fairly.

According to the news outlet Independent Online, the group asserted that 30 prospective students, who had achieved numerous accolades and distinctions, were not admitted to the school simply because they were not Black.

Charl Oberholzer, Chairman of Afriforum Youth, stated, "Every year, 140 students are admitted to the veterinary science faculty, and only 22 white matriculants from the 2011 group may be admitted."

The university acknowledged that only 22 white students would be enrolled in the institute that year but clarified that other white students, who had matriculated before the previous year, were also considered for admission after completing a year's study in an animal science or biological science degree program.

The policy in question aims to create more educational opportunities for disadvantaged and marginalized students, particularly from historically underserved areas, to train as veterinarians. However, the Afriforum Group perceives this policy as a form of "racial targeting."

It's important to note that many individuals, including university officials, have dismissed and discredited the claims made by the group. They argue that the group may not fully comprehend the historical inequities in higher education rooted in the country's past conflicts.

Watch the video below:

The video attached to the article has prompted varied reactions from people in the comments section. Some expressed shock at the act of blackface, while others discussed the students' academic achievements and the perceived bias against white students in admissions.

One comment even referenced a controversial chant made by Julius Malema, the head of the Economic Freedom Fighters Party, in a rally where he recited an anti-apartheid struggle song, "Kill the Boer, the Farmer." The term "Boer" refers to the white descendants of Dutch settlers in South Africa.

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