[Editor’s Note: The headline has been updated for clarity]
Cape Town - The two UCT students arrested during protests on campus and are expected back in court today.
The protests, led by the university’s student representative council, have resulted in larger numbers of students supporting its calls for the scrapping of fee blocks, which the university has decided to impose on students who owe the institution money.
The SRC said this decision would impact 7 435 students and called for it to be overturned at the council’s first ordinary meeting on Saturday.
The SRC also criticised the removal of students from temporary residences on March 6, and called on students to refrain from attending classes in solidarity with those evicted.
A heavy police presence, including an SAPS Nyala, could be seen on campus to enforce the Western Cape High Court interdict granted to the university on February 17.
Police spokesperson Captain FC van Wyk said protesting students started disrupting classes on Friday and tried to enter the Kramer Law Building lecture rooms on middle campus when police stopped them.
“Just after 11am, the protesting students started pelting police with metal drum lids, stones and other objects. Police took action to disperse the protesting students,” Van Wyk said.
He added that police would remain in the area to monitor the situation.
Two students were arrested and detained at Rondebosch police station on charges of contravening a court order and public violence.
Both suspects appeared in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Friday, where bail application was postponed.
UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola said student fee debt had increased close to four-fold, with some fee-payers making no payment at all.
He said UCT’s cumulative historical student debt was over R385 million, with more than half of this for last year’s fees.
“UCT cannot maintain a financially sustainable university under such conditions.
“It is critical to ensure the ongoing payment of fees timeously, and one of the ways of doing so is through the ‘fee block’ policy.
“These interventions enable UCT to remain financially secure to deliver quality education.”
Moholola said an assessment had not yet been carried out into which parts of campus had been negatively affected or damaged by the protests.