Shocking secrets in SU Wilgenhof residence; closure recommended by panel

On 9 January this year, Stellenbosch University (SU) unlocked two rooms in the mysterious Wilgenhof men’s residence. The shocking discoveries made in the 120-year-old residence sent shockwaves through the country and left the university stunned.

Now the residence may have to close its doors at the end of the year. This is the main recommendation of a panel appointed by the Rectorate of the SU to investigate the contents of apparently ritualistic items and practices in the two rooms, namely:

• Hool 88, a room on the ground floor of the main Wilgenhof building facing the quad, where Wilgenhof’s internal disciplinary committee, “the Nagligte,” conducted their activities at night, and
• “Toe Argief” (English: closed archive or TA) located in the ‘Bachelors’ wing of Wilgenhof, adjoining the Primarius’ suite.

The TA contained a trove of Wilgenhof records and memorabilia, including Nagligte costumes, shoes, and paraphernalia, reads the report issued by the university on its website.

However, the report is an edited version with some text redaction or covered by black blocks.

The panel was instructed to investigate the historical and cultural background of the contents found, as well as the functions of the rooms.

They were also tasked to determine whether (and to what extent) practices and the general culture of Wilgenhof could be contrary to the values ​​of SU and whether they could infringe on the human dignity of current and former SU staff and students.

100 Years of internal discipline by the ‘Nagligte’

According to the panel’s findings, Wilgenhof is a product of South Africa’s historical context.

“Since its inception in 1903 until recently, Wilgenhof has been a predominantly white, male, Afrikaner residence.”

In 1914, the ‘Nagligte’ (Nighties) were formed as Wilgenhof’s internal disciplinary committee.

Initially responsible for both initiation (“doop”) and disciplinary functions, the Nagligte shifted their focus solely to discipline from around 1936.

Members were elected annually by Wilgenhoffers, with the “Chief” automatically serving as Vice-Primarius of the residence. Today, the committee comprises ten members elected each September to serve for a year and remains an unofficial residence committee.

“Over the past 100 years, SU has periodically attempted to halt initiation rituals, including Nagligte activities. These efforts were largely unsuccessful, resulting in the Nagligte’s disciplinary ritual maintaining an almost unbroken history, with only occasional bans that sometimes forced the group underground or allowed them to resume later,” reads the report.

Nagligte disciplinary ritual since 2002

The Nagligte would hand out “crime” slips in the Wilgenhof dining room on Tuesdays to students accused of breaking house rules. Accused students had to indicate if they would submit to Nagligte discipline.

The accused were woken up around midnight, with the Nagligte dressed in black costumes and pointed hoods, while eerie noises or music played in the quad.

Speaking in falsetto voices, they escorted the subject to Hool 88 for discipline. Until 2020, the subject was naked; since 2020, he wore only a vest and underwear.

Hool 88, a grim room with graffiti and symbols, was where the Nagligte berated the accused. Sanctions involved consuming linseed oil and bitter aloe crystals, depending on the infraction, before being released.

The panel heard that in 2023, Nagligte activities moved off-campus, hosted by a private company on a private farm, with participants signing indemnity forms. The panel was assured that no “doop” activities currently occur in Wilgenhof, and the two rooms did not play a direct role in “doop”.

However, the Nagligte disciplinary ritual continues to serve many initiation-type functions by enforcing trivial internal house rules, such as prohibiting caps in the dining hall, to maintain conformity to Wilgenhof culture and values.

Wilgenhoffers ‘think they own the residence’

The panel’s findings showed that the Wilgenhof community think they “own” the residence.

“This sense of “ownership” is a deeply-held view among the mainly white, male, Afrikaans-speaking community of Wilgenhoffers past and present, who take pride in the facts that Wilgenhof pre-existed the University itself; and they raised half the money needed to replace the original Wilgenhof residence building.

“This sense of ownership also manifest in the fact that the members of the ‘Wilgenhof Bond’ – not the University – have secured the registration of the names “Wilgenhof”, “Willows” and “Die Plek” in their favour, states the report.

“All this feeds into a profound sense that the Wilgenhof community (the white, male, Afrikaans-speaking community of Wilgenhoffers past and present) owns the residence and that Wilgenhof is special and set apart from any other residences at the University.”

Symbolism used by the Nagligte

The panel analysed the symbolism and enculturation functions of the Nagligte ritual, revealing troubling parallels with the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), the panel states in their report.

The Nagligte “employ symbols and practices echoing the KKK”.

The most striking symbols of the Nagligte are their black robes and pointed hoods, drawing clear parallels with KKK costumes, symbols, practices, and late-night raids.

The costumes represent not just attire, but the symbolism of absolute power wielded by white men without consequence — power used to coerce, oppress, victimise, and humiliate, enforcing compliance with certain values and norms.

This ritual of discipline and enforcement has painful connections to the actions of apartheid-era police and security forces, resonating deeply with black South Africans.

They also found that black newcomers to Wilgenhof, confronted with the Nagligte ritual, are likely to feel fear, intimidation, and pressure to conform.

Experts noted that no amount of “contextualization” can dilute the imagery and associated meanings of the Nagligte costumes and rituals for those outside the dominant group.

The number “88” frequently appears on Nagligte costumes, in the naming of “Hool 88,” and elsewhere, reads the report.

Experts confirmed to the panel that “88” is associated with white supremacy, referencing “Heil Hitler” (H being the eighth letter of the alphabet).

The number 88 was used in the two rooms and on their contents to convey notions of white supremacy.

Panel considers alternative use for Wilgenhof

According to the university’s statement, De Villiers will, on the basis of the report, recommend to the SU council to close Wilgenhof permanently and consider alternative uses for the buildings.

The council will consider his recommendations at its meeting on 24 June 2024.

In the statement, De Villiers says: “If the council accepts this recommendation on the recommendation of the panel, it will lead to the closure of Wilgenhof at the end of the 2024 academic year. Alternative uses of the space will be discussed with a view to implementing it in 2025.”

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