Colonial mentality lives on

Today I witnessed the most despicable and most poor display of employer to employee relations than I have ever witnessed since I've been at Rhodes. For an institution which prides itself for being liberal and non-racial, what I saw today flies against such sentiments.

I was having lunch at approximately 12:30 when suddenly Ryno, the catering staff manager who happens to be caucasian, burst out from his office and began launching a tirade against one female catering staff member who seemed to have made a mistake in placing the wrong bowl at the top table.

He gestured and spoke to her in the most vicious and utterly disrespectful manner in front of students that were eating in the dining hall at that time. He continued in this manner until this woman went into his office where he continued to shout at her.

It was as though time froze for a moment because those who were witness to this tirade stood with looks of utter shock mixed with repulsion at Ryno's behaviour.

The woman that he was shouting at is black and in her late forties. She walked towards his office with tears of humiliation and helplessness streaming down her face. She had not uttered a single word in her defence but how could she, when it would ultimately be his word against hers?

The situation was embarrassing for those of us who witnessed it from the onset. A woman old enough to be my mother, verbally abused by a man who is young enough to be her son. Her dignity stripped before a hall full of kids. Was that really necessary? Needless to say, this was not the first time that Ryno was seen treating his staff members in such a draconian manner. This kind of behaviour is intricately woven into his fabric and he has always gotten away with it.

I commissioned everyone who witnessed this shameful incident to lodge a complaint with the authority that is in charge of our hall staff. I did this primarily because I know that uMama does not have much of a voice as a black kitchen worker at this university. Perhaps these impassioned outcries would assist in some way. I have faith that they will.

I just thought it very ironic that a few weeks ago Rhodes was in the media for publicly apologising for its various institutional actions which barred black students from admission to the university in the past. And yet that same spirit and attitude which was the subject of this apology is prevalent amongst some staff members.

It is individuals like Ryno who tarnish the efforts of those who fought so hard for this university to be where it is today.

As I continued with my day I found myself overwhelmed with sadness because I knew that I have a voice and uMama who is amongst the generation which fought hard for our freedom, does not.