The meeting between the Stellenbosch University management and Parliament’s portfolio committee on higher education and training’s will take place on Tuesday September 1.

The meeting follows revelations of alleged racism experienced by students and staff members at Stellenbosch University as revealed in the Luister documentary.

The Luister documentary is a series of interviews with Stellenbosch University students who talk about their personal accounts of race-based discrimination and even violence at the university.

The committee‚ chaired by Yvonne Phosa‚ is scheduled to hear the Stellenbosch University management’s response to these allegations.

“Furthermore‚ the committee expects to hear plans on preventing occurrences of incidents of a similar nature in future and a progress report on the university’s transformation plan and language policy‚” according to a statement.

“Other related stakeholders such as the Minister of Higher Education and Training‚ Dr Blade Nzimande‚ have been invited to the meeting.”

Earlier the Parliament’s portfolio committee on higher education and training said it was disturbed by the recent “spate of politically influenced violence at a number of institutions of higher learning in the country” and called on all political party leaders to “desist from engaging in actions that might incite violence among students”.

“With some institutions having held or set to hold their Student Representative Council elections during the current period‚ the committee noted with serious concern that such have in some cases been marred by violence among students of contesting parties.

“The latest incident erupted at the Tshwane University of Technology‚ where a number of students were left injured after fights between two opposing political formations. Incidents of a similar violent nature have reportedly also taken place at Wits University‚” a statement said.

Committee chairperson Yvonne Phosa said on Thursday this situation called for urgent action by all authorities concerned so that it was dealt with before it “spiraled into becoming a norm at campuses during election periods”.

“It is very worrying when we heard of occurrences of this nature where violence of a senseless nature is meted out by students at each other. Despite belonging to different political formations‚ we urge students to act in a manner that is civil and show political tolerance so that incidents of violence‚ which have no place in our higher learning environment‚ do not recur.

“Incidents like these are taking the country backwards when strides have been made to ensure that peace among all our people is secured through the upholding of equal human rights as stated in the Freedom Charter‚” she said.

Phosa also called on all political party leaders to desist from engaging in actions that might incite violence among students.

“Political party leaders have to conduct themselves in a responsible manner rather than to be seen to be instigating violence.

“Leaders should not be the cause of disruptions which lead to violence on campuses. We all have the responsibility of instilling good values in the students‚ who are our leaders of tomorrow.”