gays, a lecturer and a monkey wrench

By Nadine Botha (Mail & Guardian)

October 28, 2005: A North West University student has lodged an official complaint with university authorities after an art history lecturer allegedly used his classes to attack homosexuality as "an immoral fad" to be blamed on the African National Congress government.

The university's rector, Annette Combrink, confirmed that a complaint had been lodged against John Botha but refused to comment pending an investigation. If it was true, Swanepoel said, the university dissociated itself from his comments.

The student, who asked to remain anonymous, said Botha had never concealed his bias against homosexuals. However, it was his "blatant" comments in a lecture on October 24 that had roused him to action. These allegedly included the remark that "when I fix my car and there is a number 12 nut, I get a number 12 spanner; I don't use a monkey wrench. Two men having sex are busy with a monkey wrench."

Botha allegedly went on to attack "confused" men who, when they get over their homosexual "phase", then "soil some or other girl with their monkey wrench".

Botha is also alleged to have said homosexuality was a "post-modern fad" that men engaged in to be popular; represented a decline in moral standards to be blamed on the new government; and was an abnormal genetic deviation and a core spreader of HIV/Aids.

Attacking radical graphic artist Chris Diedericks, he allegedly suggested Diedericks's work owed its standing not to intrinsic merit, but to his homosexuality. "His biggest problem is that he wants to be gay, but he also wants to be Christian. This can't happen. It is in opposition to what the Bible says," Botha allegedly remarked.

The student acknowledged that the statements were not directed at him, but said they had upset him. Insisting he only wanted an apology from Botha, he added: "[I'm] not asking for the community or individuals' moral or religious approval, but just to be given the human respect, equality and dignity basic to a democracy."

Attempts to contact Botha for comment this week were unsuccessful