UCT SRC backs up ‘wrongfully’ arrested students in court

UCT SRC Vice President Swazi Hlophe. UCT SRC announced that the campus has been shut down and academic activity has been suspended. Hundreds of students gathered at the Graca Machel lawns this afternoon as the SRC addressed issues of registration and residences. Photographer: Armand Hough. African News Agency (ANA)

Published Mar 13, 2023

The ongoing student protest actions at the University of Cape Town (UCT) have led to class disruptions, arrests, and students appearing in court.

The UCT Senior Representative Council (SRC) members were at Wynberg magistrate’s court in Cape Town on Monday to stand in solidarity with the two UCT students who were wrongfully arrested on Friday.

UCT SRC members at Wynberg court to stand in solidarity with the two UCT students who were wrongfully arrested on Friday pic.twitter.com/Lsk6Ev6nIn
— UCT SRC (@UCT_SRC) March 13, 2023

This comes after the police used stun grenades, and force and made arrests on the middle campus on Friday.

According to UCT SRC:

- 7435 students were blocked from registering.

- Council refused to lift the fee blocks for these students to register and we call on them to overturn such a decision.

- Those who made their way to Cape Town at the start of the year will now be kicked out of residence from the 9th of March with no alternative options.

- It has urged students to join the movement by supporting the call to suspend classes and register the blocked students.

The university has cautioned that due to disruptions on Monday, the shuttle services were not operating.

Meanwhile, the Wits SRC and students have not backed down in their protest actions over funding and accommodation.

The suspended Wits SRC President, Aphiwe Mnyamana, has agreed and confirmed during an interview with eNCA that talks continued over the weekend on the way forward at the university.

He said the only thing they wanted as the SRC was for students to be accommodated and registered for 2023.

On the other hand, The Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) management talks with the SRC were reportedly making progress.

TUT students were also on the same issue as Wits students who demanded accommodation and for the university to allow those who owed study debts of R150 000 or less to register for the 2023 academic year.

UCT SRC has called on a mass meeting to update the student populous about the two wrongfully detained students.

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