Wits University on Friday increased security at its campuses and obtained an interim court order preventing students from protesting on campus, disrupting registration or intimidating other students.
The university said safety measures were put in place to protect its staff, students and visitors as well as its property.
The interim court order was granted by the South Gauteng High Court.
Among other things it seeks to prevent students or anyone from unlawfully occupying Senate House, offices and lecture halls.
It also aimed at halting disruption to registration, classes, lectures or tutorials as well as retaining the right to prevent any person from entering or leaving the university.
“The order also empowers the university to bring the police onto campus if required,” the statement read.
Wits said the university recognised and supported the call for access to affordable, quality higher education and welcomed the ministerial commission established to further explore this proposal.
“This interim interdict does not stop legitimate protest,” the university’s management said.
Meanwhile, in Pretoria, academic activities at major universities are set to resume on Monday after days of violent protest by outsourced general workers.
Both Unisa and the University of Pretoria (UP) were closed for most of this week, while the Tshwane University Technology (TUT) remained open.
TUT spokeswoman Willa de Ruyter said contrary to media reports, none of their campuses were closed during the past week as a result of protest action.
According to UP spokeswoman Anna-Retha Bouwer, the institution reopened yesterday after it was closed on Tuesday due to the protest.
“Due to ongoing protest action at the entrances to the university’s main campus and threats of violence, staff were requested to leave early.”
Workers, angered by the apparent lack of response from the universities to their demand to abolish outsourcing, disrupted academic activities at the institutions by blocking the entrances with rocks and burning tyres.
Under the banner of #OutsourcingMustFall, they demanded that they be offered permanent posts and paid R10 000 a month.
The workers marched to the TUT campus in Pretoria. However, they were dispersed by the police, who fired rubber bullets at them and used stun grenades.
UP was forced to cancel its annual Welcome Day scheduled today as a result of the upheaval. Bouwer said senior students could continue to register online. But online registration for first-year students would commence on Monday.
Saturday Star