Overview
- The Wits sociology department said it asked Professor Srila Roy to step down as head of department, which she has done, while institutional HR processes continue.
- In a now-deleted X post, Roy wrote that 'South Africans have little ambition, are complacent and have a poor work ethic.'
- The post was written in the context of debate over a DHET report indicating roughly 7.7% of academic staff are international hires.
- The South African Sociological Association condemned the remarks as racist and xenophobic and called for her recusal from the Wits Local Organising Committee and further institutional action.
- Parliamentary higher-education chair Tebogo Letsie labelled the comments deeply offensive and urged decisive steps by Wits; Roy issued a written apology on February 23 and later deactivated her X account.