Mkhatshwa was the guest speaker at the launch of the first leg of the Student Affairs Department’s Anti-Discrimination Campaign which was held on the Bellville Campus on Friday.
He said discrimination negates everything the nation’s constitution stands for especially equality, freedom, humanity and dignity.
He added that discrimination, whether racial or social, is based on a number of false assumptions such as unequal power relations and inferiority complex.
“If unchecked timeously, discrimination and prejudice can degenerate into barbarism,” he argued citing examples of ethnic cleansing in Africa and abroad.
He said that in the upcoming local government elections the students have the opportunity to elect councillors who will be your ally in combating the scourge of discrimination.
Dean of Students, Cora Motale, duly committed CPUT to launch its MRM chapter and requested Mkhatshwa to invite the university to the movement’s National Indaba.
The MRM is a networking platform that coordinates processes and initiatives aimed at combating moral degeneration.
Through its Charter of Positive Values the MRM is promoting the moral/ ethical well-being of our nation, the absence of which results in corruption, various horrific crimes, violence, theft, dishonesty, poor service delivery and substance abuse.
Staff and students wrote pledges to commit themselves to the fight against all forms of discrimination, especially racism.
Central SRC President Sibusiso Thwala welcomed the call for anti-discrimination and said that’s why CPUT students support the City of Cape Town’s anti-racism campaign.
