Critics of the University of the Free State's recent decision to pardon the 'Reitz four' should stand down, the SA Institute of Race Relations said on Thursday.

Although critics may disagree with UFS Rector Jonathan Jansen's inauguration comment on one point, almost every other announcement he made might lead to the transformation of higher education in South Africa, the institute's deputy CEO Frans Cronje said in a statement.

"It is now time for the professor's critics to stand down."

Four former students who stayed in the now-closed Reitz men's residence — RC Malherbe, Johnny Roberts, Schalk van der Merwe and Danie Grobler — filmed a mock initiation of five black staff members into hostel activities in 2007.

The employees, four women and a man, were seen on their hands and knees eating food which had apparently been urinated into by a white student.

The students will go on trial for crimen injuria on 26 October in the Bloemfontein Magistrate's Court.

Required dramatic intervention

Cronje said the Reitz incident showed the UFS was at odds with values of equality, human dignity and equal opportunity, which were central to South Africa becoming an equal society.

"It required dramatic intervention in order to align it with those ideals. Professor Jansen has provided the university with a roadmap to meet those ideals."

Cronje said the path Jansen charted for the university also contained many elements necessary for the country's success.

He commended the rector for standing his ground and refusing to be intimidated or bullied, especially by politicians.

"Further to his credit is that he must have foreseen the controversy that he was courting, but had the courage of leadership to proceed regardless, on the grounds that he believed his action to be in the best long-term interests of the university."

Jansen was recently appointed SAIRR president.

Criticism from students

On Thursday more criticism of the move, which Jansen announced at his inauguration as UFS rector on Friday, was heard.

The South African Union of Students (SAUS) rejected Jansen's announcement with "contempt". The former Reitz students should not be allowed to continue studying.

Whilst acts of reconciliation were highly commendable and appreciated, Jansen's move was an attempt to win the hearts and minds of "intransigent whites" within the institution, the student organisation said in a statement.

SAUS said it was in discussions with the student representative council of UFS to ensure the former Reitz students would not be allowed back before "proper correctional and judicial processes" had taken place.

The National Education Health and Allied Workers Union also supported this call. The union said it was convinced the decision was creating more division than unity in society and was therefore not helping reconciliation.

Sapa

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