A so-called “fallist” has asked students at the University of Cape Town's science faculty to consider scrapping science as a whole if it is ever to be decolonised.

At a panel discussion this week‚ published to YouTube‚ the woman responded to a question about the decolonisation of science.

“Science as a whole is a product of western modernity and the whole thing should be scratched off. Especially in Africa‚” she says.

“I have a question for all the science people. There is a place in KZN called Umhlab'uyalingana. They believe that through the magic‚ you call it black magic‚ they call it witchcraft‚ you are able to send lightening to strike someone. Can you explain that scientifically because it's something that happens?”

The meeting then breaks into laughter at her question as someone in the audience yells: “It's not true!”

After the meeting's chair restores order‚ she continues: “Western knowledge is totalising. It is saying that it was Newton and only Newton who knew and saw an apple falling and out of nowhere decided gravity existed and created an equation and that is it.

“Whether people knew Newton or not‚ or whatever happens in West Africa‚ Northern Africa‚ the thing is the only way to explain gravity is through Newton who sat under a tree and saw an apple fall.

“So western modernity is the problem that decolonisation directly deals with. It’s to say that we are going to decolonise by having knowledge that is produced by us‚ that speaks to us and that is able to accommodate knowledge from our perspective.

“Decolonising the science would mean doing away with it entirely and starting all over again to deal with how we respond to the environment and how we understand it.”

A video clip of the discussion sparked debate and humorous exchanges on Friday morning as #ScienceMustFall trended on Twitter.

Why stop with just Science? Modern art must fall! We don't need your white canvasses #sciencemustfall — Maxine Juganath (@Maxim1llion) October 14, 2016

That moment you want to comment on #sciencemustfall but remember the 23% you got for Science at school so you cough and see yourself out. — Tom Eaton (@TomEatonSA) October 14, 2016

When you want science to fall but you don't believe in gravity #ScienceMustFall — Don't Touch My Hair (@Marvin_Rage) October 14, 2016

#sciencemustfall but why not #sciencemustfloat like a butterfly or #sciencemuststing like a bee? — Garg Unzola (@gargunzola) October 14, 2016

#ScienceMustFall#FeesMustFall when they have a heart attack & med emergencies must go to decolonised sangoma. tax payers are tired of this — claire angelique (@claireangelique) October 14, 2016

I don't think the problem is Science per se, the problem is the current "Philosophy Of Science" excluding other sciences #sciencemustfall — Chris Mayimele (@Chris_Mayimele) October 14, 2016

People sayin science must fall Just because you fail it doesn't mean it must fall... go sit on your behind and STUDY! #sciencemustfall — Ndlali Ledwaba (@itsndlali) October 14, 2016

This whole instinctive defense against #ScienceMustFall ignores how science has been used to justify oppression in the past — خالد (@thembi_lewis) October 14, 2016

- TMG Digital