Students have always played a role in resistance, find out why Anti-Apartheid Week still matters.
University has always been more than lectures and deadlines, it’s a space where ideas are challenged, identities are shaped, and movements are born. That’s exactly why Anti-Apartheid Week remains so important for students today.
For many, apartheid can feel like something distant, a historical system tied to a specific place and time. But its legacy, and the structures it represents, are far from over. Systems of segregation, inequality, and injustice still exist globally, often in quieter, more complex forms. Universities are uniquely positioned to unpack these realities.
Students have always played a role in resistance. From organising protests to leading boycotts, campuses have historically been catalysts for change. Today, that role doesn’t have to look the same, but it still matters. Awareness is a starting point, but action is what gives it weight.
So, what does anti-apartheid action look like for students now?
It can be as visible as attending talks, joining campaigns, or challenging institutional policies. But it can also be embedded in everyday choices, what we choose to learn, share, support, and question.
Being a student means having access to knowledge. It also means having the responsibility to engage with it critically. Anti-Apartheid Week is a reminder to not just consume information, but to sit with it, to ask difficult questions about power, privilege, and justice.
It’s also important to recognise the emotional weight of engaging with these topics. Learning about injustice can be overwhelming. That’s why reflection, rest, and community care are not distractions from activism, they are part of it. Sustainable awareness requires balance.
Ultimately, Anti-Apartheid Week on campus isn’t just about looking back. It’s about recognising patterns, understanding systems, and asking: what does resistance look like here, now, for us?
By Sadiya Alom, Community Organiser, Anti-Apartheid Week 2026