Malema comes out in support of Kovsies rector

By Ofentse Mokae
30 October 2009

African National Congress Youth League leader Julius Malema has come out in full support of University of the Free State rector Jonathan Jansen.

The rector has come under widespread criticism for offering a pardon to the so-called Reitz Four.

But after a meeting with Jansen yesterday, Malema said Jansen could not be fed to the enemy.

The Youth League leader insists that if the students involved in the incident return to the university, they had to apologise and show remorse.

Meanwhile earlier yesterday, Cape Town’s Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba released a statement about the matter.

Makgoba said Jansen’s decision to withdraw the university’s charges against the students demonstrated that brave and bold steps were unavoidable if deplorable events were to be resolved through a restorative justice approach.

Makgoba says for restorative justice to work, proper apology must be made, and remorse shown, where these are due.