Wilgenhof
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Wilgenhof is a men's residence located in Stellenbosch, commonly referred by its residences as "Die Plek" (Afrikaans for "The Place"). The residence was established in 1903 which predates Stellenbosch University, officially incorporated in 1918, making it the oldest men's residence in Africa.
Notable alumni include former Constitutional Court Justice Edwin Cameron, anti-Apartheid activist Beyers Naudé, Frederik van Zyl Slabbert and business leaders such as Christo Wiese, Michael Jordaan, Paul Harris, and Whitey Basson, and rugby players such as Danie Craven, Morné du Plessis, and Schalk Brits.
Recent Events
The residence became the subject of controversy after News24, a South African media company, released a series of articles in January 2024 exposing two previously hidden rooms in the hostel to the public [see the articles here].
The two rooms, namely the Toe Argief (Closed Archive) and Hool 88 (Room 88), as residents of Wilgenhof called them, formed part of nearly a century of tradition within the residence. The News24 articles, published by Prega Govender and Adriaan Basson, alleged that unacceptable practices such as racism, Nazism, sexual and physical abuse took place within the residence[1]. These allegations were later proven to be false and defamatory towards residents of Wilgenhof in two different out-of-court settlements between Stellenbosch University (SU), the Association for the Advancement of Wilgenhof Residents (AWIR), and the Wilgenhof Alumni Association (WAA). The official joint statement regarding the settlement between SU and the WAA can be read here[2].
AWIR was an association founded by the students who resided in Wilgenhof at the time, along with their parents. AWIR launched an appeal to the Western Cape High Court to interdict the decision made by the Stellenbosch University Council to close Wilgenhof on 16 September 2024.[3]
The rooms were first "discovered" when a staff member at Stellenbosch University broke into Wilgenhof and leaked photos of the rooms to News24. Despite this supposed discovery, the university had known for years about the existence of the two rooms and the Nagligte practice, having allowed them to persist, as later confirmed by the investigative panel report on the Wilgenhof incident.[4][5]
The handling of this matter by Stellenbosch University leadership at the time, namely Rector and Vice-Chancellor Prof Wim de Villiers and Chair of Council Nicky Newton-King, was deeply flawed and highly criticised by the public. The two were found to have severely breached their fiduciary duties and contravened ethical governance practices. This was primarily due to their involvement in compromising the independence of the investigative panel report on Wilgenhof by doctoring the report in a way that led to the only recommendation to university leadership being to close Wilgenhof, whereas the original report had included an option to keep it open. This was revealed by the Chancellor of the University at the time, Judge Edwin Cameron, in an explosive affidavit.[6]
The university then commissioned another independent panel to investigate Justice Cameron's accusations. The panel consisted of Constitutional Court Judge Johann Kriegler (chair), Professor Themba Mosia, and Karrisha Pillay SC. The Kriegler report confirmed that both Prof. Wim de Villiers and Nicky Newton-King were guilty of grave lapses of judgement and candour.[7]
Newton-King was found to be an active and/or knowing participant in the surreptitious and contrived amendment of the original Wilgenhof Report. She procured the changes through a "simulated transaction" in a process that "was fatally flawed". She was duty-bound to alert the council yet failed to do so, failing to disclose "material information that could have influenced the outcome of council deliberations". Furthermore, Newton-King sought to advance reasons for not fulfilling her duty of disclosure that Kriegler and his panel denounced as "palpably illogical".[8]
A comprehensive timeline of recent events can be found on Stellenbosch University's webpage here.
History
Historical Overview of Die Plek
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Die Plek was originally a farmhouse completed in 1799 in the British colony. It was known as the Old Bachelors building.
At that time, the road passed by the Old Bachelors building, as Ryneveld Street was not established until 1832.
In 1832, the Stellenbosch Spirit Association used the building as a distillery. The property was subsequently acquired by J.P. de Villiers in 1840, who renamed it Grossdale. The building was later known as 'Bosman se Stokery' (Bosman’s Distillery) or simply 'Die Stokery' (The Distillery), a designation that remains fitting to this day. Following various ownership changes and functional transformations, Roelof Louw added a second floor in 1875.
The name was changed to Willow Grove or simply The Willows, a name suggested by Louw’s wife. In 1902, Christiaan Marais acquired The Willows and significantly developed Wilgenhof starting in 1903. Wilgenhof was established as a residence for students from other parts of South Africa continuing their studies. The residence, initially accommodating 110 boarders, including Bachelors, saw its first Springbok rugby player, Bob Loubsher, in 1904. Notably, for a period spanning from 1904 to 1949, every Springbok test match featured a Wilgenhoffer.
Initiation practices for new residents commenced in 1906. Despite numerous changes in the initiation process and associated activities, the practice of initiation has remained a significant tradition at Wilgenhof. Tennis courts were built in 1906. Maintenance of these courts was initially the responsibility of newcomers and later taken over by the university in 1925. The courts were renovated in 2003, with notable contributions from Amanda Coetzer during their inauguration.
Wilgenhof’s tradition of ‘Big Nights’ began in 1910, accompanied by structural and regulatory changes over the subsequent years. The residence was purchased by Victoria College (predecessor of Stellenbosch University) in 1916 for 6000 pounds, and it became university property in 1918 upon the creation of Stellenbosch University. By 1920, administrative control of the residence was assumed by the house committee. Notably, the South African hurdles champion Arrie van Heerden, who was a resident at the time, participated in the Olympic Games in Antwerp that year.
A significant event in 1924 was the rugby match between the "Rest of Stellenbosch" and "Hof der Wilgen". This match not only led to the creation of the residence's flag and badge but also its house song by Victor Potgieter. The victory, 12-9, marked the beginning of a distinguished rugby tradition at Wilgenhof, including winning the Sauer Trophy eight times.
The Troebadoers, later renamed the Kraaie, emerged in 1934 as Wilgenhof’s first serenade group.
In 1944, Hamelhof was constructed to house 17 senior Wilgenhoffers, while the matron and staff remained in Bachelors. By 1981, under the new resident head Hennie de Vos, the seniors moved to Bachelors, a situation that persists to this day.
Dr Danie Craven, a prominent figure in rugby, was named Visiting Head in 1949. At this time, the residence was in poor condition, prompting a fundraising campaign to save it from demolition. The 'Spirit of Willows,' a term coined by Oubaas Markotter, drove a successful campaign, culminating in a 15,000-pound donation, half of which was contributed by the university. The new building, incorporating a new floor and wing, was inaugurated in 1964.
In 1962, seventeen Wilgenhoffers embarked on the first Trans-Africa Tour, reaching as far north as Kilimanjaro. This tradition has continued with eight more tours having happened since, the most recent in 2024/25. The 2004 tour included a charitable aspect, benefiting landmine victim organizations. Wilgenhof is also involved in other community projects, such as ‘coke and buns,’ where students donate their lunch to a night shelter weekly.
Dr Craven served as Resident Head from 1967 until 1981, during which several changes occurred, including the construction of the 'slaweklok' (slave bell) and the renovation of various facilities. The centenary reunion in 2003 saw over a thousand former residents return to celebrate their time at Wilgenhof.