Maricelle Botha
In 2007 four students from the University of the Free State’s Reitz residence made a controversial video that showed five cleaners on their hands and knees eating food that had apparently been urinated into by one of the white students. Major criticism came from all over the world and the case eventually was referred to the High Court. In 2011 Rector Jonathan Jansen pardoned the now so-called Reitz Four who filmed the video, which brought about even more criticism.
Today, whenever a race-related issue occurs at the university, the ghost of the Reitz incident still hangs over it like the Grimm Reaper.
UFS vice-rector: External Affairs, Dr Choice Makhetha, laughs when she hears this analogy. “It will not necessarily haunt the UFS but people are bound to wonder what is happening. As a university we are committed to development and that is why we have decided to register a cleaning company for the five workers,” she says.
Makhetha is leading the post-Reitz settlement. The final step of the settlement was reached last week when the university handed over the keys to their brand-new cleaning company to the five workers. David Molete, Naomi Phororo, Emmah Koko, Rebecca Adams and Mittah Ntlatseng are now the official owners of Mamello Trading 864 CC. According to Makheta the university is committed to support the company for at least five years. "We will keep on supporting this company and hope that after the five years they will be well established with many contracts outside the university."
She says that for them this is much more than what the university agreed on in the settlement. “It is a commitment that goes far. After the five years I imagine a company that will be growing and having established itself outside the university as well. She adds that the university will be at the background to give advice. Members of the Bahai Training and Development Company have already started training for the five new business owners. They will get training for one year whereafter Mamello will be fully operational.
Courant had an exclusive opportunity to chat to the excited workers.
Rebecca Adams says she feels like crying of joy "I can cry because I did not think one day I will have a key in my hand for Mamello. The office is very nice thanks to the university and we start summer training today. “Emmah Koko adds that she is speechless.” I am very happy and speechless, because after such a long time I got what I waited for all along. I did not think this day would come, but it happened. We are also proud of the university for the good work done and we are satisfied.”
maricelle@centralmediagroup.co.za
