Students and student bodies at the university have for years been calling for the removal of the statue, with many saying it is a pre-Apartheid artefact and has no place in a post-democratic South Africa. 

Speaking to members of the media at the Bloemfontein campus, Francis revealed that in the next month or so a comprehensive report on the findings of the public consultative participation and the Heritage Impact Assessment consultant’s report will be given to him and he will then relay the report and his recommendations to the University’s Council, which is the school’s decision making body. 

He further added that all steps in the process pertaining to the matter of whether the statue will remain or be removed were followed. He said he was also pleased that the process had an academic component, which sought to inform members of the public who Steyn was as this was indicative of the tolerance that was fostered during the entire process. He also added that he was happy with the measures the university took to give all stakeholders affected a say in the matter.

OFM News/Pulane Choane