UNIVERSITY OF DURBAN-WESTVILLE

and community had about me going to university. Now I was faced with the prospect of
being expelled from university." There is pain in Khotso's voice as he recounts these
expenences.
It was a devastating time. "My Dad did not say much but I could see the pain in him.
It nearly destroyed my mother. The family was miserable. My life was miserable. Word
quickly spread through the township that I had been expelled and everywhere I went people
asked me about it." Khotso's parents learnt that a number of Fort Hare students who had
been expelled had gone back to the university and were readmitted by de Witt in front of
their parents. They suggested Khotso try that strategy. Their neighbour's son had also been
expelled and Khotso, his father and eldest brother, Peter, joined the Mulemala's on their
trip to Fort Hare. When they arrived at Fort Hare they had to make an appointment with the
Rector's secretary, Mrs Bellingham. The student's file was then brought in. As the students
waited in the foyer, they saw all the files, which were about the same size except for one.
"The procedure was that Mrs Bellingham would go in for a minute with the Rector and then
you go in with your parent. Ten minutes later you come out. Admitted. Smile. Mulemala
went in first with his father. Mr Mulemala had solicited the support of Mrs Jabavu, the wife
of the late Prof. D D T Jabavu who was one of the founding fathers of Fort Hare when it
was established in 1916. They came out smiling. When Mrs Bellingham went in with the
big file, I realised that it was my file. When the door opened my father and I got up to enter.
Instead ofMrs Bellingham coming out, de Witt came out and said, 'I don't want this boy in
my office.' The outer office was full of parents. My Dad walked towards him and said,
'Let's talk about it.' de Witt said 'not this one. Your son must tell you what he has done on
this campus'. Mrs Jabavu tried to talk to the Rector, but he did not relent. "You can imagine
the trip back to Bloemfontein. I had to explain to my father what I had done because my
father had seen all the other parents had had their children readmitted and the Rector did not
even want to see him. I gave him some explanation, but really did not want to talk much."
Soon after that the students from the township started going back to university and Khotso
was left in the township. The devastation ofthat event is still apparent.
The Mokhele household was very hurt and disappointed with Khotso. "At no point
did I feel apologetic or feel sorry for the things I had done." Khotso was extremely angry,
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