Theuns du Toit, a first-year student at Stellenbosch University, faces an uncertain future and it’s all thanks to his abhorrent behaviour.
South Africans want Theuns du Toit expelled
On Monday, social media went into an uproar when video footage showing Du Toit urinating on the study desk of his fellow res-mate, Babalo Ndwayana, went viral.
In the video clip, Du Toit could be heard nonchalantly claiming that this was “a white boy thing” as he released a flood of urine on Ndwayana’s course work material, textbooks and laptop.
In response to the viral video clip, the university issued a statement, confirming Du Toit has been suspended and faces further sanctions, pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
“Such destructive behaviour is totally unacceptable and undermines what SU stands for as well as the many continuous focused efforts made towards building inclusive student communities at Stellenbosch University. The University strives to ensure a strong sense of belonging among all our students and many conscious efforts are undertaken by its Division for Student Affairs and other departments with this in mind,” the tertiary wrote.
While the tertiary has, until now, expedited matters in dealing with Du Toit, the outraged public is far from satisfied with the prospect of the viral urinator returning to school still very much possible.
Now we have a name Theuns Du Toit, we don't want suspension…we demand his expulsion and banning from all Institutions of Higher learning for the next 5 years #StellenboschUniversity https://t.co/jjsuddNIVb
— Busisiwe C Seabe (@Ms_BSeabe) May 16, 2022
Hence, a change.org petition has collected more than 34 000 signatures, calling for Stellenbosch University to move ahead with the expulsion of Du Toit, who is accused of being a racist.
However, this may not be as easy as people think.
“A further swift but detailed investigation will determine the final outcomes. Expulsion and/or criminal charges are not excluded from the possible available options, based on the investigation’s findings,” the tertiary said.
In the meantime, Ndwayana has been offered counselling to deal with the trauma he suffered on Sunday, albeit, not much else has been revealed about what’s been done to replace the materials and devices lost to Du Toit’s urine.
“He will be supported as and when required to ensure his academic progress is not affected by the incident,” Dr Choice Makhetha, Senior Director of Student Affairs noted in a statement.