A few days before Reconciliation Day (16 December), we witnessed the most remarkable reconciliation between the erstwhile former Wits Students’ Representative Council president Mcebo Dlamini and the South African Jewish Board of Deputies (SAJBD).
In 2015, the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) received a complaint from the SAJBD against Dlamini after he demonstrated his admiration for Adolf Hitler and delved into stereotypical anti-Semitic tropes about Jews. On 14 December, the SAHRC did sterling work by facilitating mediation between the two conflicting parties. The mediation was successful and it was encouraging to see Dlamini’s courageous ability to take responsibility for the hurtfulness of his words and apologise for his comments.