Comment given to Wits university student newspaper Vuvuzela.

The Freedom of Expression Institute is of the opinion that, in general, universities across South Africa impose conditions on student organisations that are so onerous that they violate such organisations' right to freedom of expression as contained in Section 16 of the South African Constitution. A number of such conditions have been brought to our notice regarding Wits University. Among them is the condition that no two societies with "opposing views" can hold events on the same day. These conditions also include stringent vetting procedures on posters, pamphlets, speakers, etc that societies seek to use to promote their objectives. Many of these conditions, we believe, violate students' free expression rights and violate the right to media freedom.

From reports that we have received, it seems that the Wits' student societies most affected by these violations are the Palestine Solidarity Committee (PSC) and the South African Union of Jewish Students (SAUJS). While the university should provide an environment for the kinds of debates and disagreements between these societies to be fully ventilated, the rules imposed on them, in fact, stifle such debate and stifle free expression.

In light of the above, we believe that SAUJS was fully within its constitutional and legal rights to have a counter-event while the PSC was having its event. Just as the PSC would be within its constitutional and legal rights to stage a counter-event at a SAUJS event.