Unisa online - UNISA condemns xenophobic attacks

Principal and Vice-Chancellor Professor Barney Pityana recently issued a statement to staff deploring the acts of violence against foreign nationals. He has also invited staff to contribute R100 from their June salaries to donate towards relief for the victims of the recent xenophobic attacks. UNISA will also set up a scholarship for foreign students or asylum seekers to study through UNISA.

Prof Pityana stated that UNISA is concerned by these acts of violence against foreign nationals as “our university boasts some 10% of our registered students from countries in Africa and abroad. Among our academic staff are many valuable colleagues who are citizens from various African states”. He says that “unless nipped in the bud by way of decisive action, what is xenophobia today may gravitate towards tribalism and the resultant ethnic cleansing and conflict”.

“The integrity of our mission and vision as UNISA depends on our abiding by our vision towards the African university in the service of humanity. In advancing Africa as a source of knowledge, the advancement of African scholarship can never be attained in isolation from the rest of the Continent. Among UNISA’s values are excellence, integrity, social justice and fairness. These values demand that we project our humanity - Ubuntu - in the way we respond to human tragedy and social breakdown,” he adds.

Prof. Pityana called upon all its students and staff, the alumni everywhere to support initiatives of humanitarian support, and encouraged everyone to give freely and generously to such initiatives.