STATEMENT: WILGENHOF ALUMNI AND SU REACH SETTLEMENT
Joint media statement: Wilgenhof Alumni Association and Stellenbosch University (SU)
26 February 2025
Context
Stellenbosch University (SU) is committed to a transformative student experience on all its campuses. This includes all university residences. Accordingly, SU had to act when, in 2024, it discovered facilities and conduct which appeared to be contra to its expectations in Wilgenhof.
The residents and alumni of Wilgenhof are committed to the ongoing renewal of Wilgenhof, which is inherent in its culture and values. This process started in 2020 and has been given further impetus by the facilitation process launched by SU in 2024 to achieve a rejuvenated and reimagined residence.
SU concerns
SU raised specific concerns about suspected unacceptable and secretive practices at Wilgenhof, as well as the discovery of rooms that were inconsistent with SU’s values and expectations.
It has been established that these rooms were archival in nature and spanned more than 100 years of history, and that the practices have been either discontinued or significantly reformed over the years.
To the extent that any unacceptable practices remain, SU expects that the Wilgenhof community will make a clear break with these practices as part of the facilitated process that will be a catalyst for the continued transformation of SU and its residences.
SU acknowledgements
SU acknowledges that the Wilgenhof Alumni Association (“WAA”) and residents experienced the handling of the Wilgenhof matter within SU and, especially, the media portrayal thereof, as harmful to their reputation. This was not SU’s intention, and SU apologises for this experience.
Specifically, SU does not regard Wilgenhoffers, past or present, as physical or sexual abusers, racists or Nazis, and wishes to state so unequivocally. SU regrets and apologises for not counteracting the adverse media narrative in this regard.
SU is committed to working with the Wilgenhof residents to ensure that the community (like all residence communities) can thrive within the values and expectations of the SU community.
WAA acknowledgement
The WAA recognises that the contents of the two rooms, and how these rooms were portrayed by the media and the report of the panel appointed to investigate the contents of the rooms, was experienced as disturbing and painful by many in the SU community. On behalf of the WAA and current residents, it apologises to all stakeholders of SU for the distress caused.
Although no harm was intended, and although many Wilgenhoffers have a different perspective on elements of the matter, the WAA acknowledges that the contents of the two rooms, seen from an outside perspective, are not acceptable nor in-line with the norms of today’s society, as well as SU’s 2040 vision and its values.
The WAA trusts that the Wilgenhof Manifesto will be a significant consideration in the renewal process currently being facilitated by experts.
The Wilgenhof Manifesto has been refined by the current residents of Wilgenhof and has also been endorsed by over 1 300 Wilgenhof alumni. The WAA looks forward to working with SU management to harness the new energy in support of a proudly world-class and rejuvenated residence to serve South Africa for generations to come.
Status
The parties are pleased to announce that an impasse has been resolved as to the naming process of the residence, which has paved the way for the settlement of the matter between the parties. This then brings an end to the litigation of the WAA against SU.
