Africa-Press – South-Africa. The University of Cape Town (UCT) says classes will commence this week after student protesters disrupted lectures on Friday.
UCT announced last week that it would not scrap the fee blocks of students with historic debt.
UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola said students disrupted only a few classes and that an assessment of the damage caused by protesters would be carried out in the next few weeks.
Protesting students chanted for the reinstatement of former vice-chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng, who left her post early amid accusations of bullying, which she denied.
They also announced an alliance with the Democratic Transport Logistics and Allied Workers’ Union and received a pledge of support from the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu).
UCT said protesters disrupted lectures at a number of venues, including the New Lecture Theatre on Upper Campus as well as the Kramer Building on Middle Campus. It added that officers from the Public Order Policing unit intervened in accordance with a court interdict granted to the university.
Western Cape police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said protesting students tried to enter Kramer law lecture rooms when police stopped them.
“The students started pelting police with metal drum lids, stones and other objects. Police took action to disperse the protesting students,” Van Wyk said.
He said two students were arrested and detained at Rondebosch police station on charges of contravening a court order and public violence.
“Both appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court late on Friday, and bail was denied. [Their] next court appearance will be on Monday,” said Van Wyk.
Police said they would remain in the area to monitor the situation.
Meanwhile, UCT said it had not beefed up its security for Monday.
Moholola said:
The university is four weeks into the academic year. It said it was important for all registered students to start the academic year on time and to “continue their studies without interruption or the trauma of unlawful protest”.
On Tuesday, the student representative council (SRC) issued a statement, saying it was “shocked” by the decision not to scrap fee blocks.
“It is enraging that the university management and council have no care for poor and black students who are unable to afford the exorbitant costs that are our tuition and accommodation fees,” the SRC said.
UCT, however, said its executive would continue to engage with the SRC and explore different measures, along with student representatives, to assist students with fee blocks.
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