UKZN student leadership unhappy about court ruling on arrested 11

The disappointed students from the university's Pietermaritzburg campus don't believe yesterday's bail judgement was in the interest of justice. 

Seven of the 11 students arrested three weeks ago were denied bail in the Magistrate's Court, the rest were released on R1 000 bail. 

The magistrate based her decision on footage which showed some of the students throwing bottles and stones at police. 

Speaking outside court yesterday, the SRC's Nhlakanipho Ndlovu told Newswatch that they're not aware of any crimes committed by the students. 

He said instead of responding to students' calls, government is responding with arrests. Ndlovu says they're looking into appealing the judgement.

"It means they are going to spend the whole of November behind bars taking into consideration the fact that they have been there since mid-September - so, we believe that they have been behind bars for quite some time now. 

"It's unnecessarily long and we don't understand what was going on in the mind of the magistrate because these people are supposed to be writing exams, they are supposed to be passing so that will open spaces for the matriculants that are going to study next year. We are crying about free education but the judge is still denying students an opportunity to go back to university and complete their degrees so that we deal with this as quickly as possible," Ndlovu said.  

Bail conditions for the four who have been released include that they stay at alternative addresses, only go to campus for tests and lectures and that they are not allowed at the institution's residences.  

WATCH BELOW - Scenes from the court yesterday, as scores of students gathered in support of their arrested peers.