Cape Town - Some students from UWC have demanded justice and institutional pardon for a student.
Bachelor of Law (LLB) student, Aseza Mayaphi, 22, was suspended from the UWC due to the disciplinary court findings, which found him guilty on two charges of misconduct, one after an altercation occurred between him and a member of the private security which apparently ended with him being severely injured and hospitalised.
The other charge related to a prejudicial statement about the institution on Facebook.
Under the #BringBackAseza, students started a petition calling for an institutional pardon for Mayaphi, claiming that education was a human right that no one should be denied.
According to the petition signed by almost 2 500 students, the decision to find Mayaphi guilty “and giving him a disproportionate sentence handed down by the student disciplinary court and upheld by the councils committee of appeals was unreasonable and not in the interest of justice and fairness”.
UWC spokesperson Gasant Abarder said the university supported the rights of students to raise any concerns in a constructive manner.
Abarder said due process has been followed in the case. “The student was found guilty of an assault on campus.”
He said the student also admitted to false posts on Facebook. “The suspension is effective for the 2021 academic year,” said Abarder.
Mayaphi said it was overwhelming to receive support from his fellow students. “It brings joy to my heart to see such support, and I hope UWC will bring me back.”
EFF student command chairperson Mandla-Onke Notyawa said they supported the call made by the students.
“We believe that this exclusion is a tool that destabilises the struggle to attain free education in our lifetime. It is a direct attack on student activism and a threat to the voiceless,” said Notyawa.
He said they wanted to reassure the UWC community that they were doing everything in their might to make sure that their comrade was re-included.
“We are not afraid to take this to the streets, we are not afraid to do whatever is necessary should the institution not follow the demands of the streets.”
Cape Argus