UCT's People of Colour dinner now open to all after backlash

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UCT’s Decolonised Winter School (DWS) has changed an event earmarked for People of Colour (POC) to include all following a widespread backlash, but organisers have stood firm calling for spaces where black students can express themselves with those who understand their plight. The DWS is being organised by UCT alumni and postgraduates and is supported by the office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Transformation. The public has been invited to attend a series of events this week on topics relating to decolonial theory and practice. The school seeks to reimagine the teaching environment outside the confines of the traditional classroom and lecture theatre. Activists, scholars and community organisations facilitating daily sessions will be challenged to reconstruct their teaching praxis as they present on contemporary topics in South African discussion - ranging from land reform and resistance to history, sustainability and actualising justice.

But a designated hour-long POC supper break on the programme elicited outrage. UCT said it had noted “inappropriate phrasing” in the winter school programme.

“Entrance to UCT events may not be restricted on the basis of race. Our understanding is that the students and alumni arranging the event have been informed accordingly and have agreed that the programme wording will be changed,” the university said.

An event organiser and activist, Mohammed Jameel Abdulla, said true and meaningful integration must take into account that at times, living in a space that is very white-normative can be draining. “Part of decolonial theory centres around black bodies. The supper was about the idea of having a space to debrief and speak about the issues we face. This isn’t really a strange idea if you think about special interest groups like the Black Lawyers Association, or even the Black Academic Caucus.

“There has never been a kind of oddity about the fact that people from special interest groups can discuss issues that directly affect them and is a joint struggle for them. We have feminism spaces, queer spaces,” he said.

The reaction to the supper distracted from the entirety of the event, Abdulla said.

“It went against university rules. We are working with UCT on this so we have to meet the university criteria. Everyone is invited.

“But our preference is known, that we want it to be a space, where people of colour can debrief without feeling constrained by having to be sensitive of how they speak about white people.

“If a white person comes through, we can’t kick them out but we have made it clear that we would prefer that white people respect there is a preference.”

Historically, factions at UCT are sceptical and concerned about what decolonisation means, he added.

On social media, organisers said their intention was to create a space where black people can come together to communicate their experiences of the day without having to shelter white fragility.

“We feel that in this period of interrogation of the question of decolonisation, there is safety in black-only spaces, resultant from the trauma and oppression of the past and present.

“This was our intention when curating the event; however, following in conversation with the university, this is null and void and therefore all events are open to all participants.”

The 8am to 5pm programme takes place at Avenue Hall daily. Participants will then proceed to Hiddingh Hall for the 6pm to 10pm programme.

Live streaming of all conversations and projects will be made available on Facebook under Decolonial School.