THE Bellville District Court yesterday granted bail of R3 000 each to 43 students, arrested on Monday at CPUT’s Bellville campus for unruly behaviour
They face charges of public violence, violating the Illegal Gatherings Act and malicious damage to property.
Their lawyers urged magistrate Cyril Kroutz to release them on warning, on the grounds they did not have money for bail.
However, the magistrate said he had fixed bail at R3 000 for other students in previous similar proceedings, and it would be unfair and not in the interests of justice to release the 43 on a mere warning.
He warned the 43 against failing to comply with the five bail conditions.
The first condition was that they appear in court again on January 29. They were also barred from “setting foot” again on the Bellville campus, while those who were in residence at the campus had to find alternative accommodation. They were also warned not to interfere with, or intimidate, students and personnel at the campus.
As a final bail condition, the magistrate said those who had to find other accommodation and who needed to fetch personal belongings at their residences, had to first notify their lawyer.
The lawyer would, in turn, request permission from the investigating officer for a banned student’s return to campus for this purpose. One
student suddenly began sobbing while the magistrate made notes on the court record.
In a stern tone, the magistrate told him that this was not the time to shed tears. “You’re big now, tears are for babies.”
The instructing attorney, Pam Ayanda Mdanjelwar, comforted the weeping student after the magistrate gave her permission to approach him in the dock. – ANA