Afrikaans-Only Hostel Denies Racism Claims
A private hostel in Pretoria, South Africa has been accused of being racist for catering to whites and Christians only. But the operator belied this, saying it is merely promoting the Afrikaans language and culture. The establishment is located near a university, but the school denied any association with it.
The South African Civic Organization has called on authorities to investigate the motive behind the establishment of De Goede Hoop hostel in Sunnyside and blames the University of Pretoria (UP) for its existence.
"Those who wish to establish a private Afrikaans university must do so elsewhere without infringing on the rights of others," said Jabu Mahlangu, the organization's spokesman.
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He added that the opening of the facility was part of a right-wing agenda that thrived on heightened racial tensions. But the university, through its spokesperson Candice Jooste, distanced itself from the facility. "De Goede Hoop residence is a private residence and is not associated with the University of Pretoria in any way," she said.
Janli Sonntag, coordinator of the residence, explained that the hostel was established in February by private investors that included Afrikaner rights group AfriForum. "The hostel is open to all races, but those who want to live there must have a love and passion for Afrikaans," she clarified.
Sonntag said it was within their constitutional right to promote their mother tongue. "We are not a hostel that is excluding anyone," she went on. "All the students there support Afrikaans. Everybody is welcome only if they meet the requirement." That requirement consists of an essay explaining their thoughts on the phasing out of Afrikaans at UP.
Sonntag narrated the situation wherein students moved out of the university residences due to feeling excluded. "To give you a practical example, an Afrikaans person had to ask a question in English when at a residence meeting," she said. "They were not allowed to speak in Afrikaans."
