I AM appalled by Jonathan Jansen's decision to withdraw charges against the four racist boys from Reitz.

I thought his appointment as vice-chancellor of the University of the Free State would go a long way to advancing the transformation discourse in that institution, but it turns out I was mistaken.

What those white boys did to the varsity cleaners was a grave insult not only to the cleaners but to the entire black race.

How long will Africans continue to suffer injustice and humiliation on their own continent at the hand of their former colonial masters?

Our brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers continue to endure racist treatment and unfair labour practices on farms throughout the country and our government does nothing to rectify the situation.

Every time an incident like this happens people like Archbishop Desmond Tutu are in the front lines calling for reconciliation and forgiveness. It seems as if that they have made careers out of appeasing racists.

We need politicians and academics who are committed to advancing the course of transformation and who are not afraid to deal severely with racists who run amok in our society, not Uncle Toms and "House Negros" like the Jansens and Tutus of this world, who are only too happy to sit at the white man's table.

Jansen did not even consult the victims to find out how they felt about the university's decision.

Lucian Hlophe, Daveyton