Two university students have been suspended following a blackface incident at a housewarming party.

New York Post reports.

South African university embroiled in another ‘blackface’ scandal

JOHANNESBURG — A South African university suspended two white students for painting their faces in what it called a “blackface” incident deemed to be racially offensive. One of the students, however, said they were dressing as purple space aliens for a party with a galactic theme.

The episode at Stellenbosch University comes amid heightened debate on social media about racism in South Africa, which became a multi-racial democracy after the end of white minority rule in 1994.

University spokesman Martin Viljoen said Monday that the university is aware of “new evidence” — a reference to the account about alien costumes — and that an investigation is ongoing.