Former Wits University vice-chancellor Adam Habib has been censured by the trade union. Picture: Gallo Images
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has once again slammed the former University of Witwatersrand (Wits) vice-chancellor Prof Adam Habib following the alleged derogatory comments he made during a webinar.
Habib, who now works as director at School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) University of London, has been trending on social media after he allegedly made use of the American racial slur (n-word) while addressing students in a webinar.
The former Wits vice-chancellor then proceeded to defend himself after being called out by the students, claiming that he “comes from a part of the world where people used the word”.
Meanwhile, the EFF has since called for Habib’s employers to fire him.
“In a typical display of racist arrogance, and a disregard for being called into order which was his trademark in his shameful tenure at the University of Witwatersrand, Habib refused to be corrected on his positionality and how it was historically and politically wrong for him to use the n-word (sic) when he does not have the social and cultural experience of the word,” the party said in a statement on Friday.
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The red berets went on to say: “Instead of withdrawing his remarks, he went on a maniacal rage, raising his voice to defend the indefensible.
“Worse to that, Habib goes on to lie and suggest that the derogatory word is used commonly in South Africa, a blatant and filthy lie. The use of words used to demean Africans, be it in the continent or the diaspora, are not cultural embedded in South African society.”
The EFF argued that Habib wanted to avoid accountability saying the n-word since the slur constituted to hate speech.
“Habib belongs to a long lineage of minorities in South Africa, who view themselves as custodians of thought, disrespect African people and refuse to be corrected when wrong.
READ MORE: Habib slams EFF leaders, implies only thing they read is ‘party memorabilia’
“We call for the immediate removal of Habib from his position as director of SOAS University of London, as he has exhibited extreme bigotry and is unfit to lead a department that ought to intellectually lead social change.
“Students from all creeds and backgrounds must take heed from the students of the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa, and organise against Habib to ensure his permanent removal from the institution.”
Habib announced his exit from Wits last year after eight years at the university.
In the past, Habib accused the EFF of its “theories, policies and behaviour being racist” and the party was “not different from any other racist organisation”, he claimed during an interview on 702.
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