(JTA) — The University of Pretoria in South Africa condemned hate speech after “Gas All Jews” and swastikas were found drawn on campus message boards.

The South African Jewish Board of Deputies umbrella organization contacted the university’s vice chancellor to express its concern about the graffiti on message boards in the humanities building.

“The University of Pretoria condemns any form of discrimination and hate speech and will not hesitate to act against anyone found guilty of this type of behavior,” the university said in a statement. “When the University became aware of a notice board that was vandalized with anti-Semitic graffiti on its Hatfield campus, we immediately removed it and notified campus security to investigate the incident.”

Antisemitism Notebook

Your weekly guide through the news and the noise of how rising antisemitism and disputes over how to address it are shaping American Jewish life.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

The board praised the university for the “swift removal” of the offensive boards as soon as the graffiti was reported by the South African Union of Jewish Students.

Last week, a fringe South African politician mocked the Holocaust and its victims on social media.

“For those claiming the legacy of the holocaust is ONLY negative think about the lampshades and Jewish soap,” tweeted Andile Mngxitama, who heads the Black First Land First party, which has no seats in the country’s National Assembly.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount