Ntokozo Qwabe Explained
Ntokozo Qwabe (born 1991) is a South African Rhodes Scholar who was one of the founders of the Rhodes Must Fall campaign at Oxford University. His subsequent comments following the 2015 Paris attacks and behaviour towards a white waitress in South Africa were criticised in news and social media, leading to a petition for his removal from Oxford which was rejected by the university. He has rejected accusations of hypocrisy for receiving money from the Rhodes scholarship scheme, claiming that he is merely recovering wealth stolen from Africans by Rhodes during the colonial period.
Early life
Qwabe was born in 1991 to school caretaker[1] Felokwakhe Qwabe and his wife Nomali in Oyaya, Eshowe, a rural area of KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa. He is one of 13 children[2] and the first of his family to attend university. He was forced to drop out of the University of KwaZulu-Natal for financial reasons part way through his first degree and work as a cashier at a Checkers store in Rossburgh in order to save for his tuition but returned in 2009 to complete his bachelor of laws degree, graduating summa cum laude in 2013.[3] [4] He subsequently completed a master's degree at the University of Cape Town.[2] He joined the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar in 2014 where he completed a bachelor of civil law (BCL) degree in 2015 at Keble College.[5] [6]
Rhodes Must Fall
In March 2015, Qwabe was one of the founders of the Rhodes Must Fall campaign which originated at the University of Cape Town in South Africa and was originally directed at a statue of Cecil Rhodes that was seen by the campaign as a symbol of European colonialism and white supremacy. The campaign subsequently spread to the University of Oxford and internationally. Qwabe has rejected accusations of hypocrisy for receiving money from the Rhodes scholarship scheme, which is funded by a legacy from Cecil Rhodes, claiming that he is merely recovering wealth stolen from Africans by Rhodes during the colonial period.[7]
Response to 2015 Paris attacks
Two days after the Paris Attacks of November 2015, Qwabe posted a message on Facebook saying he did not stand with France and calling for a ban on the French Tricolour flag at universities, describing it as a symbol of a state "that has for years terrorised – and continues to terrorise – innocent lives in the name of imperialism, colonialism, and other violent barbarities."[8] [9] In a subsequent interview with The Sunday Times, Qwabe compared the French flag to the Nazi swastika.[10]
Facebook comments and petition for removal from Oxford
In May 2016, Qwabe posted comments on Facebook about an incident when he was in a South African restaurant with a friend:
His actions were widely criticised,[11] [12] including in South Africa where they were described as hypocritical and racist and not supported by an African National Congress spokesman.[13] A petition started by a South African in London to have Qwabe expelled from Oxford University or stripped of his Rhodes scholarship was rejected by the university on the grounds that Qwabe was entitled to free speech.[14] [15] Qwabe has stated that he has no regrets over the comments[16] [17] but that the events were not exactly as he described them on Facebook.[18] A campaign to provide a tip for the waitress raised R150,000.
2016 protests at University of Cape Town
Qwabe has subsequently been involved in student protests at the University of Cape Town, commenting on Facebook about one incident in which he was accused of violence:[19] [20] [21] [22] [23]
The white student involved later confirmed that he had not been injured but described being racially abused by Qwabe and assaulted by another black student.[24]
Notes and References
- http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/world/africa/article4666956.ece Global notoriety has not reached scholar’s village.
- https://southafricapossibility.wordpress.com/2015/08/09/from-herding-cattle-in-the-dusty-streets-to-receiving-34-distinctions-at-oxford-this-is-an-incredibly-inspirational-story-of-hope-determination/ From herding cattle in the dusty streets to receiving 34 distinctions at Oxford… this is an incredibly inspirational story of hope & determination!
- http://successmag.co.za/from-checkers-cashier-to-oxford-university-graduate-ntokozo-qwabe/ From Checkers cashier to Oxford University graduate – Ntokozo Qwabe.
- http://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/rhodes-scholars-elect-class-of-2014/ntokozo-qwabe Ntokozo Qwabe.
- http://www.cherwell.org/2015/08/18/scholar-campaigner-south-african-ntokozo-qwabe/ Scholar, campaigner, South African: Ntokozo Qwabe.
- http://www.heraldlive.co.za/beneficiary-hits-rhodes-oxford/ Beneficiary hits out against Rhodes at Oxford.
- https://www.independent.co.uk/student/news/ntokozo-qwabe-student-who-accused-oxford-of-propping-up-existence-of-systemic-racism-says-he-is-a6790991.html Ntokozo Qwabe: Student who accused Oxford of propping-up ‘existence of systemic racism’ says he is ‘tired’ of being asked why he goes to the university.
- https://www.independent.co.uk/student/news/oxford-law-student-ntokozo-qwabe-calls-for-universities-to-ban-french-flag-after-paris-attacks-a6788206.html Oxford law student Ntokozo Qwabe calls for universities to ban French flag after Paris attacks, comparing it to ‘Nazi flag’.
- http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/oxford-student-ntokozo-qwabe-demands-tricolour-ban-claiming-france-has-committed-acts-terror-1535047 Oxford student Ntokozo Qwabe demands tricolour ban claiming France has committed 'acts of terror'.
- https://web.archive.org/web/20160604230303/http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/uk_news/article1649494.ece After Rhodes he wants to tear down tricolore.
- http://metro.co.uk/2016/05/19/oxford-student-doesnt-regret-making-white-girl-waitress-cry-5891976/ Oxford student doesn’t regret making ‘white girl’ waitress cry.
- https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/rhodes-must-fall-campaigner-ntokozo-qwabe-oxford-university-claims-cape-town-waitress-white-tears-a7037911.html Oxford student who refused to tip waitress claims his comments 'weren't personal'.
- http://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/anc-weighs-in-on-rmf-activist-tip-saga-2016468 ANC weighs in on RMF activist tip saga.
- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/05/oxford-university-rejects-call-for-expulsion-of-rhodes-must-fall/ Oxford University rejects call for expulsion of Rhodes Must Fall scholar.
- https://www.independent.co.uk/student/news/oxford-university-rejects-call-for-ntokozo-qwabe-to-have-rhodes-scholarship-revoked-a7016466.html Oxford University ‘rejects’ call for Ntokozo Qwabe to have Rhodes Scholarship revoked.
- http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/rhodes-scholar-upset-waitress-to-disrupt-whiteness-fwxq0pdz5 Rhodes scholar has no regrets over ‘white girl tears’.
- http://www.sowetanlive.co.za/news/2016/05/04/ntokozo-qwabe-stands-by-his-statement-refuses-to-speak-to-white-media Ntokozo Qwabe stands by his statement, refuses to speak to 'white media'.
- http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/qwabes-dad-shocked-to-read-about-tip-scandal-20160511 Qwabe's dad 'shocked' to read about tip scandal.
- https://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/2016/09/23/activist-behind-oxford-university-rhodes-must-fall-campaign-says/ Activist behind Oxford University 'Rhodes Must Fall' campaign says he 'should have whipped' white student.
- http://www.dispatchlive.co.za/news/2016/09/22/i-didnt-whip-the-white-apartheid-settler-but-i-wish-i-had-qwabe-defends-using-his-protest-stick/ ‘I didn’t whip the white apartheid settler‚ but I wish I had’ – Qwabe defends using his ‘protest stick’.
- https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/ntokozo-qwabe-rhodes-must-fall-oxford-founder-defends-lashing-out-at-white-student-video-a7323356.html Controversial Rhodes Must Fall founder defends lashing out at white student with ‘protest stick’.
- http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2016/09/oxfords-rhodes-must-fall-co-founder-hot-water-whipped-white-student/ Oxford’s Rhodes Must Fall co-founder in hot water again – ‘I should have whipped that white student’.
- http://www.thesouthafrican.com/i-should-have-whipped-the-bastard-ntokozo-qwabe-says-of-white-uct-student/ ‘I should have whipped the bastard’, Ntokozo Qwabe says of white UCT student.
- http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2016/09/22/%E2%80%98UCT-protests-have-nothing-to-do-with-FeesMustFall%E2%80%9A%E2%80%99-says-student-attacked-by-stick-wielding-activist ‘UCT protests have nothing to do with #FeesMustFall‚’ says student attacked by stick-wielding activist.
