Education activist speaks out after son’s room is trashed at Stellenbosch University
The incident stems from an alleged disagreement at a soccer match between the Majuba residence and an opposing team.
Image: Google Maps
“I never thought I would be on the other side of the stick, standing up for my son, but they messed with the wrong black woman and black son,” education activist Vanessa Le Roux, said after her son’s room was allegedly vandalised by two white students at Stellenbosch University.
She received a message from him around 23:00 on Monday evening, shortly after he had won his soccer match. In the message, he sent a picture of his trashed room with the words: “Look how they trashed my room.” Shocked, she immediately asked who was responsible, but he replied that he did not know.
He then approached his Housekeeper and later his Prim of House Majuba (the chairperson of the residence) and forwarded his mother a series of messages from the Prim.
According to Le Roux, the messages appeared to shift blame onto her son, with the Prim stating that he had “warned” him, adding: “die ouens is nie happy nie. (the guys aren't happy)”
She said the tension allegedly stemmed from her son’s decision to coach a soccer team outside of his residence, after what she described as a lack of interest from his residence team the previous year.
Le Roux said she drove to Stellenbosch shortly after receiving the message and learnt about the incident further while at the dorm.
“You wouldn’t believe for how long that Prim lied and said he didn’t know who did it. In the meantime, threats were being made to my child that he wouldn’t have a place to sleep that night. His team won, and they celebrated.
The students room was trashed and his bed removed.
Image: Supplied
“When they got to the Res, one of the three friends walked a few steps in front of him and asked if he left his door open. He said no. When he got to his room, it was trashed. Everything was off the wall, bedding on the floor, everything thrown out of his cupboard from the hangers. They even took his bed and coach.”
She further alleged that when she confronted residence leadership, the Prim initially denied knowing who was responsible.
“I told him I am tired of this racism and you that still think you can control our children. I gave him one last chance to give me the names, otherwise I would open a case against him for protecting them. Eventually, after the police arrived, the Res Father gave me two names of the students he caught with his bed and coach.”
Education activist, Vanessa Le Roux stands firm against racism as she recounts the shocking vandalism of her son's room at Stellenbosch University.
Image: Supplied
“To think of how humiliated my child must have felt when he walked into his room to find it trashed! That is people who do not even understand or know how we sacrificed to have my child have those things. It’s my child’s dignity who gave them the right to go into his room?” she said.
“My child didn’t give them permission to enter his room, and the police are busy playing delayed tactics,” she added.
Le Roux said a case was subsequently opened with police.
Spokesperson for Stellenbosch University, Martin Viljoen said police were investigating the incident. He added a complaint of unlawful entry and damage to property was laid with SAPS after a student’s room was entered without his permission overnight.
"The incident apparently stems from a disagreement at a soccer match between the Majuba residence and an opposing team and was reported to the Residence Head in the early hours of Tuesday morning," he further explained.
Viljoen said the University will support SAPS in its investigation and has activated the necessary internal processes. "Staff members of the Responsibility Centre of the Dean of Students were in contact with student leaders this morning to determine the appropriate next steps. These will include gathering all the necessary information in accordance with SU’s applicable governance framework, including the Disciplinary Code for Students of SU."
While the University condemns any incident that infringes upon the rights of others, it must also urge respect for the disciplinary process and investigation that is under way.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said Stellenbosch police registered a burglary case for investigation following an incident on Monday, 02 March 2026, between 19:30 and 23:15, where a residential premises was broken into.