CAMPUS NEWS
Students speak out on Human Rights
O
Kinga Siejek
What do you get when you take the Vaal Campus Law
Society, a topic, and one student from each Residence?
The theme of the public speaking compeititon was Human Rights, with each student giving not only the facts
but also their ideas on what Human Rights mean and
what can be done to create a nation of Ubuntu.
The event was split into two session, with a break inbetwee. Each residence was given the task to appoint
a student to present a 15 minute presentation. Judging
was based on their research content, presentation and
time (with points being deducted if over or under the allocated time). Here are what our students had to say:
Thuthuka
• What are Human Rights when we still battle for education, women are raped every eight minutes, and
hate speech is still practised? When the Freedom of
Expression is used to discriminate against others?
• The Freedom of Expression should be a right to all;
to express ourselves in any form, but it is not correct
to use it to undermine others.
• While it is a right, it should be more of a responsibility. Who must be accountable for our rights if we are
not responsible personally first?
• Freedom of Expression is a given; presented and
protected to all.
• What are YOU going to do about it?
Acacia
• Discrimination occurs via hate speech, religion,
gender and sexual orientation.
• They give you labels and expect you to do only what
is allowed in your labels.
• Remember, before you are anything else, you are
human.
• People do not steal because of the colour they happen to be, they steal because they are thieves. Life
doesn’t come with a manual; you are born into it and
you choose.
• Make equality spread in the power in your words.
Faranani
• A potent weapon fro the oppressed is the oppressors mind.
• Issues affect society as a whole, and need to bring
it back home, to the Vaal Campus.
• We are not immune to homophobia, racism or xenophobia.
• Racism - racial segregation is still happening. Such
as the recent incident on Campus, such actions
are more than just racial actions. It is not just about
race, but about the criminal actions as well.
• Bullying - We need to change Orientation into Motivation.
• The fear of getting to know a person beyong their
culture is depriving the right to learning.
•
We know more of our rights and less of our responsibilities.
Oryx
• The South African Constitution and Human Rights tells us about how we have a right to Dignity, Equality and Freedom.
• Before the Right to Equality - we had a shameful
history. Such as the Case of an African woman who
was not able to inherit anything from her father, because of her gender.
• The Right to Dignity - A case of how it should be
better implemented - the building of toilets but not
having them enclosed. THis is a good example of
the infringement of rights.
• Remember - the Constitution is a living and breathing document.
Santrust
• All people should be equal - it is in the Human Charter