Incredible. A lot of facts are mentioned in this video and in particular towards the end. I love the part from (9:42) when he says, "we are quick to see ourselves as this diverse place, we are the liberal University, we have that reputation ....that is something that we say we embody...but we need to be realistic and recognize that there is still a lot of work to be done... it is too early to say that we don't have class issues at Rhodes. " I also like when they allude to middle class students whose financial issues are overlooked because they are not in OBVIOUS financial need like those in the lower class - this shows that the grass really isn't always greener on the other side. I love this approach, for a change, because until now, media has shown some bias by only revealing issues faced by lower class individuals. So this changes the perspective a little bit, in a good way. There are many other challenges faced by people in this community and South Africa at large, but I believe that "an elephant should be eaten piece by piece", and I'm therefore keen to see something positive come from this investigative report. What is the way forward?

Good work, guys. After watching this, I am happy that this conversation is at least surfacing. It is definitely a start. One wonders the extent to which class is silenced at other universities - especially UCT, Tuks and Stellenbosch. Hopefully this conversation will not be limited to RU. Grahamstown is, really, a microcosm of the greater South African landscape. The issue of class proliferates not only higher education but also basic education, business, governance and so on on a macro scale. It is a nation-wide (and further) conversation not merely about money but about values, the extent to which crass materialism has captured some South Africans, how some human beings come to be considered more important than others. One of the central issues for me is one that is not by any means particular to Grahamstown or South Africa: those without money cannot hope for social mobility, they are often considered 'cheap life' and are seen as lacking 'humanness'. For me, this conversation on class in South Africa requires us to challenge both the pervasive (often subtle or eloquently concealed) racism in our society that continues to treat black life as cheap (Marikana as the most stark example - but only one of many - in recent years), but it also requires us to challenge the value system that places a positive relationship (i.e. +, +) between material goods and human worth at its centre. When we break that association, perhaps even our university spaces (in SA and elsewhere) will become more vibrant, inclusive, welcoming and supportive. We will surely find that we all benefit from living a society in which we are all considered equally human.