UCT gets interdict against protesting students
The University of Cape Town has been granted a temporary interdict against protesting students at the campus.
The court papers were posted on the university's website as part of the draft order.
The respondents include Rhodes Must Fall, #FeesMustFall, Left Students Movement, UCT Trans Collective, Sasco UCT, Pasma UCT and Patriarchy Must Fall.
According to the draft order granted by the Western Cape High Court, students were temporarily interdicted from, among other things:
- Disrupting or interfering with normal activities at the university, including lectures, tutorials, exams and tests;
- Barricading entrances;
- Intimidating, threatening and harassing employees and/or students;
- Arson and vandalism;
- Preventing university staff, such as acting vice chancellor Francis Petersen, deputy vice chancellor Danie Visser and his acting counterpart Anwar Mall from returning to work.
In the draft order, the court said the sheriff "may remove all existing barricades and be authorised to remove any new barricades which may be erected".
The university was forced to suspend all lectures and activities yesterday due to protests over fee hikes.
UCT students began blocking entrances to the institution yesterday morning in protest against a planned 10.3%.
The protest comes amidst several others at universities countrywide over proposed fee increases for 2016.
(File photo: Gallo Images)