Carlo Petersen
UCT vice-chancellor Max Price has hit back at Rhodes Must Fall (RMF) after being accused of repression and victimisation after recent protest action at the university.
Price released a statement at the weekend after a group of about 20 students, including three RMF members who have been interdicted from being on UCT property, barged into Bremner Building (administration building) and demanded to see Price last week.
The vice-chancellor was not present and the students refused to leave.
“For the interdicted students, the act of coming on to campus means that they are in contempt of a high court order, which made them subject to immediate arrest,” said Price.
He said two deputy vice-chancellors explained that this was “very serious” illegal action and “utterly unacceptable”.
“They instructed all the students to leave the building and the interdicted students to leave the campus. Police were called to campus in the event that the students refused to leave voluntarily.
“In an attempt to convince the students to leave the building without bringing the police inside, I agreed to return to campus to meet the group,” said Price, adding that he then met the group outside Bremner, where they demanded the interdict be removed.
“I refused to withdraw the interdict or any charges. I explained that the university did not itself have evidence against anyone other than those 12 who have already been charged.”
UCT has since opened a case with police about the breach of the interdict.
“We expect that the interdicted students will be arrested by the SAPS, and they will have to explain to the court why they did not adhere to the court order. The seriousness of the matter cannot be stressed enough.”
Price also denied “the rhetoric of some who say UCT is victimising them for their politics or their protest activities”.
This came after RMF recently slammed UCT for interdicting the students.
RMF member Luthando Vilakazi said: “The movement has been demobilised. The university is extending its long arm of repression. These were students who were fighting for other students to stay in res, fighting for other students who couldn’t afford fees.
“They were fighting for students to be able to exist on this campus, and now they are being victimised.”
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