Carlo Petersen
THE Fees Must Fall (FMF) collective joined hands at Rondebosch police station yesterday to support three UCT students who have been barred from campus.
FMF members gathered in the rain after Rhodes Must Fall (RMF) members Masixole Mlandu, Slovo Magida and Chumani Maxwele handed themselves in to police after being charged with contempt of court.
Mlandu, Magida and Maxwele are part of the “RMF Five” who were barred from campus, except with written consent from UCT vice-chancellor Max Price. The trio violated the court interdict recently after accessing UCT property and were charged with contempt of court.
The student movement has also requested a Truth and Reconciliation Commission-like (TRC) process for students who face disciplinary action for unlawful actions during recent protests at the university.
Student activists presented UCT management with a set of demands earlier this month.
Mlandu said: “In light of UCT management’s repressive approach, and given the tacit complicity of the campus security, staff members and SRC members, we therefore collectively call for an established South African approach to justice on this matter that addresses what took place in full context in an open and transparent manner with the university community and affected stakeholders.”
The request comes after the Western Cape High Court granted a final interdict on May 11 against the RMF Five, who were found guilty of illegal protest action related to the Shackville protest.
The five – Mlandu, Magida, Maxwele, Alex Hotz and Zola Shokane – have also been ordered to pay UCT’s costs, including the costs of two legal counsel.
Twelve students, including the five, also face internal disciplinary processes at UCT.
University management said it was not in a position to reverse the interdict against the five students, but will consider the TRC process.
“Any measure that can support individuals on all sides and the institution to learn more, heal wounds, bring positive change and a better understanding of ourselves as a community is worth considering. The executive has noted the request and will view it in conjunction with the input from other constituencies,” said UCT spokesperson Pat Lucas.
“It must be noted that the disciplinary action against a small number of students was taken because those students are believed to have made themselves guilty of unlawful action.”