Students at North-West University (NWU) in Mahikeng have called for urgent action after homophobic vandals defaced two Pride walls on the campus.
It was initially reported that the Pride flag located at Building A5 was vandalised by unknown individuals who last week spray-painted the words “We not gays” across the rainbow stripes. It was later confirmed that a second Pride wall, at the Sol Plaatjie Residence, was similarly defaced with the words “F*ck gays.”
Just a month earlier, a Pride wall on NWU’s Potchefstroom campus was also vandalised with a homophobic slur, suggesting a deeper issue of anti-LGBTQ+ bigotry across multiple campuses.
Students Take a Stand
On Friday morning, the university’s Queer Space Society organised a march to condemn the vandalism, raise awareness about homophobia, and reaffirm NWU’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Around 50 students and staff gathered at the main gate before marching past the student residences. The event concluded at the vandalised wall at Building A5, where the society presented a memorandum to Chief Campus Director Jim Molautsi.
In the memorandum, the Queer Space Society stated that the defacement of the Pride walls was “not only an act of property damage but also an attack on diversity, acceptance, and the human dignity of our campus community.”
The society said the incidents had “created fear, anger, and emotional distress among queer students, who now feel unsafe and targeted on campus.”
Calls for Accountability and Inclusion
The memorandum called for a formal investigation into the incidents and improvements to campus security, including installing or repositioning surveillance cameras to cover the Pride walls. The group also requested that the vandalised walls be restored and protected from future damage.
Additionally, the society urged the university to implement ongoing diversity and sensitivity training for students and staff, and to host awareness campaigns addressing hate crimes and discrimination.
‘There’s Still Work to Be Done’
Queer Space Society Chairperson Orefemetse Mojalefa Tshikovha told MambaOnline that while he had hoped for a larger turnout, the march remained powerful and meaningful.
“The participation levels reflect that there’s still work to be done when it comes to queer acceptance and visibility on campus,” he said. “It shows that while progress has been made, many students may still feel hesitant to express public support due to fear of stigma or misunderstanding.”
Tshikovha added that those who attended “demonstrated real courage and solidarity, and that in itself made the march powerful and meaningful.”
University Response
NWU has pledged to conduct a full investigation into the incidents on both campuses, although there have been no updates at the time of publication.
Tshikovha acknowledged the university’s initial response but voiced concern about the lack of visible progress in identifying the perpetrators.
“Acts like this are not just property damage,” he said. “They send a harmful message to queer students about belonging and safety on campus.”
