Cape Town — Government Spokesperson Themba Maseko said the surfacing of a racist video has highlighted that there is not enough integration in South Africa.

Speaking at a Post-Cabinet Briefing in Cape Town on Thursday, Mr Maseko said different communities did not integrate and instead remained racially divided.

The recent racial incidents at the University of Free State University emphasises the fact that serious racial sterotypes still exist and that there are people who are opposed to transformation and in building a non-racial and non-sexist society, said Mr Maseko.

A racist video featuring a mock initiation by white students to five black staff members into hostel activities refers openly to the university's diversity policy for campus residences, which was announced last year.

The video was made by members of the Reitz men's residence on the Bloemfontein campus.

Mr Maseko said it was clear that individual people needed training and education to enable them to go through transformation at an individual level.

"They must urgently take steps to ensure that all vestiges of apartheid are removed immediately.

"It cannot be acceptable that our universities, schools and other public and private institutions can continue to tolerate apartheid practices such as racially segregated residences and other facilities."

Mr Maseko said all institutions must develop diversity programmes aimed at training and educating both young and old about the country's history and the reasons why the principles of non-racialism, non-sexism, discrimination had to be enshrined in the Constitution.

He said those who engage in activities that undermine the Constitutional rights of others must face the full might of the law.

"The public, particularly the victims of abuse, are encouraged to fully utilise institutions that were created by the Constitution such as the Courts, the Human Rights Commission, the Gender Commission and others, to enforce their rights."

Cabinet has called on the University of Free State to show strong leadership by bringing those responsible to book and setting an example to other institutions by adopting concrete measures to abolish all forms of racism.

"The humiliation of workers who are old enough to be their parents is totally unacceptable and cannot, under any circumstances be condoned by anyone.

"This incident highlights the fact that racism still remains one of the major challenges that face our young democracy."

He continued to say that the video exposes deep-seated racist stereotypes that are harboured by a section of our population and constitutes a complete disregard for the rights not only of the workers of the institution but a total disrespect for adults.

The University of Pretoria has also condemned the degrading act and behaviour of students involved in the production of the video.

Addressing the first year students and their parents, university Principal Professor Calie Pistorius said: "The University is dedicated towards the development of an inclusive, enabling and value-driven organisational culture."

The video has not been the only recent incident in the media which Cabinet condemned.

A young woman was recently harassed by taxi drivers in Johannesburg for wearing a mini-skirt and in another incident, a senior soccer official used the word "Kaffir" at a press conference recently.

Mr Maseko said the incidents have the potential to undermine the country's goal of building a democratic, non-racial and non sexist society.