DoS Response to SRC Talent Show Complaint

Date Released: Thu, 14 April 2011 11:58 +0200

It is regrettable that some people were offended by the Variety Show of 25 February (previous date was incorrect). While student performers were screened at the preceding Talent Show (21 February) in order to ensure quality, their songs and acts were not pre-screened, and several students did something different on the night of the Variety Show.
The Dean of Students Office respects the artistic licence of staff who agreed to perform in the Show, most particularly when such staff are artists performing in their professional capacity. Students who felt aggrieved during the performance were free to walk out and several did.
We strongly support freedom of expression, and, apart from hate speech, we do not believe in censorship of any kind, most particularly in relation to artistic expression. We believe that students at University benefit from exposure to new ideas and fresh ways of thinking, and the act which has attracted complaints has received world-wide acclaim, is an intellectual satirical piece which has been performed before in Grahamstown, and was nominated for a Vita Award.

Vivian de Klerk
DEAN OF STUDENTS