JACO RABIE: Wilgenhof alumni propose way forward for residence

At a special meeting of the Stellenbosch University (SU) Council in mid-September further decisions will be taken about the future of the Wilgenhof men’s residence.

The residence was at the centre of an often misleading and sensationalised media storm after photos of two rooms at the residence were published in January. The photos of archival material related to past practices of the disciplinary committee of the residence caused great unease among members of the SU community, and understandably so.

Since an investigative panel recommended that the residence be closed in June the Wilgenhof Alumni Association has been inundated with responses from current and former Wilgenhof residents, representing the full extent of SA’s diversity, calling for the 121-year-old residence to remain open. The association has worked closely with the past residents in creating the proposal it has officially made to the council on the future of Wilgenhof. 

The debate about the residence has been misinformed by inaccuracies. Despite receiving written submissions from 288 people, conducting 59 interviews and extending its deadline, an investigative panel did not find any evidence to substantiate claims of actual “racism”, “white supremacy” or “torture”. 

To close the residence on the basis of deeply flawed arguments lacking evidence would not only cause inconvenience, economic hardship and irreparable harm to their student experience for the current residents, it would also be a wasteful decision, discarding a well-functioning and important part of the university’s campus culture.

The central structure of the residence — through which first-year students are accepted into a supportive community, which includes senior students — is of particular value. Students are assisted in navigating a formative time in their lives. The cross-cultural camaraderie and sense of belonging created by an uninterrupted span of years together is the cornerstone of residence culture at SU, and taken overall is a remarkable developmental asset to the university that should not be dismissed. 

Brotherhood

In the media and in the public debate Wilgenhoffers of all backgrounds and races have defended the residence’s inclusivity, vibrancy and brotherhood. It has provided a second home and a true developmental space for thousands of young men who went on to contribute to the country. But residence culture is complex. No residence gets it 100% right 100% of the time. However, the alumni of Wilgenhof are committed to making sure that the isolated errors of the past are not repeated. 

In their recent submission to the SU council the alumni association proposed a workable, measurable plan, through which the residence can further improve itself in the areas in which it is most needed. The plan outlines how continually improved integration can be achieved — “integration” both in the sense of better integrating new residents into the residence, and the further integration of the residence into the wider community of the SU. 

The plan’s suggestions include the appointment of an independent mediator and facilitator to restore damage to the trust relationship between the university and the residents. Rebuilding this important relationship is a priority.

The substantial expansion of the position of integration officer on the house committee is also necessary, providing more control over this essential part of residence culture. Regular reflection meetings between all role players must also take place. 

To counter the type of misinformation and exaggeration that characterised much of the public debate about Wilgenhof, the association suggests that a student experience survey be developed and continually conducted for at least five years. A survey will be an important and objective transformational tool, identifying potential problems, tracking what has been done and highlighting where improvements must be made. 

It is also proposed that such a survey should be conducted among all Stellenbosch residences, as it has become apparent that most of the integration concerns at Wilgenhof are experienced elsewhere on campus as well. 

⁠Rooms remodelled

The alumni association also asks that the two rooms be remodelled. The archive can become a place of historic reflection though which a true understanding of the past can be facilitated. The room in which former disciplinary meetings were held should be changed to a welcoming space, such as a reception room. 

The names Wilgenhof and Willows (as the residence is called in English) can be used as alternative and equal names, giving symbolic effect to the changes made and the commitment to a more considered way of handling the past. 

The alumni association also wishes to use this moment to further the overarching goal of the advancement of residence culture and transformation at SU through considerably expanding its existing Wilgenhof merit bursary programme. 

A concern was raised by the investigative report that the residence too often keeps itself separate from the wider SU community. It is not true that Wilgenhof isolates itself from campus, but it is true that the residence can do more to acknowledge that there is no Wilgenhof without the university — the two are inextricably bound together. The improvement of attitudes towards the rest of campus are also prioritised within the alumni association’s proposed plan. 

Wilgenhof has a proud tradition of independent, critical thinking. It was a home to progressive leaders such as Beyers Naudé, Van Zyl Slabbert and Edwin Cameron. In 1984 the university held a campuswide referendum on allowing black students into residential communities, and Wilgenhof was one of only two communities where the majority voted in favour of inclusion. This while apartheid president PW Botha was the chancellor of the university.

Human rights expert John Dugard recently supported the residence publicly, highlighting the misrepresentations made of its history and stating that he had no regrets about his time there as resident. Many of the residence’s alumni have also become business leaders who have substantially contributed to the SA economy, including Christo Wiese, Michael Jordaan, Paul Harris and Whitey Basson. 

It is in the spirit of remaining relevant, inclusive and adaptable that the alumni of Wilgenhof are committed to the residence’s uninterrupted future. 

Rabie is spokesperson for the Wilgenhof Alumni Association.