The experiences of race relations amongst student leaders at a South African university

Abstract

The advent of democracy opened learning opportunities for all students and racial segregation no longer characterizes institutions of higher learning in South Africa. The racially diverse student body confronts universities with the challenge of racial tension amongst students as well as staff. Recent protest movements such as #Rhodesmustfall and #FeesMustFall have highlighted uneasy race relations in South African universities. Although such incidents are crucial, equally important are the everyday realities of race relations that continue to define the lives of students in these institutions. The purpose of this study was to provide an in-depth understanding of student leaders‟ experiences of race relations at a South African university. A qualitative research approach was adopted to shed light on these experiences. Purposeful sampling was employed to recruit six student leaders of various races. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the participants. The analysis of the interview material revealed that the history of South Africa as a racially segregated, unequal society affects race relations. Racial discrimination and distrust hamper racial integration in the student body and external factors such as politics also affect student leaders‟ experiences of race relations. Even though friendships afford opportunities for good race relations, they are largely class dependent. It is recommended that the university invest into personnel diversity training and the creation of platforms for intercultural and interracial exchanges within the university.