STUDENTS around the country continued to protest on Thursday, with latecomer the Cape Peninsula University of Technology joining the list of affected campuses.
• Wits: Students to vote via SMS
• UJ: University get interdicts to prevent protests
• Cape Peninsula University of Technology: students disrupt classes
• Rhodes: SRC calls for boycott of lectures
Wits
#WitsPoll trended on Twitter on Thursday morning as the University of the Witwatersrand’s (Wits’s) survey of students and staff about the resumption of its academic programme in the face of protests got under way.
The university said the poll offered students and staff a chance to "have a say on whether you want the academic programme to continue on Monday". Students would be able to vote "yes" or "no" via SMS.
On Twitter another hashtag — #habibsreferendum — referencing the name of Wits vice-chancellor Adam Habib gained traction but this faced a proposed hashtag-change to #habibspoll after the High Court in Johannesburg refused to interdict the poll going ahead.
Kanelo Pitso said of the failed court action: "Shout out to the @WitsSRC other leaders who wasted their time in court. #Fees2017 #HabibsReferendum."
UJ
The University of Johannesburg (UJ) said it had obtained two interdicts to prevent protests on any UJ campus.
Students clashed with university security at its main and Doornfontein campuses on Wednesday afternoon.
A group of students marched from the main campus in Auckland Park on Wednesday afternoon‚ and‚ on arrival‚ were met with a fierce security presence.
University security threw stones at students and journalists outside the Doornfontein campus.
Prof Patrick O’Brien‚ the university’s general counsel‚ announced in a notice posted on the university’s website that UJ was committed to ensuring the safety and security of all persons and property at the institution’s campuses and was committed to ensuring that all its normal activities should continue without interruption.
O’Brien said the interdict‚ obtained from the High Court in Johannesburg‚ was against all students at the university conducting themselves unlawfully on any UJ campus.
He said a second interdict extended the orders of court to all persons participating‚ inciting‚ encouraging of facilitating protest action or demonstration on any of the properties owned or managed by the university‚ including off-campus properties.
"The supporters‚ and in the case of organisations or societies‚ their members‚ are also covered by the second interdict."
Cape Peninsula University of Technology
Students disrupted classes at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT).
While students around the country have been protesting for several days‚ their peers at CPUT have been relatively silent — until now.
Norman Jacobs‚ director for marketing and communications‚ said students at the Cape Town campus were affected.
"We have campuses at Granger Bay‚ Mowbray‚ Bellville and Wellington and classes have not been disrupted there," said Jacobs.
By the afternoon‚ he said‚ protesting students had dispersed.
Rhodes University
Rhodes University’s student representative council (SRC) called for a boycott of academic activities‚ after what it described as "unprovoked acts of police brutality" on Wednesday.
Police fired rubber bullets and threw stun grenades at protesting students‚ and the chaos on the Grahamstown campus resulted in 12 students being arrested and four being hospitalised.
"In light of these events‚ the SRC is calling for a mass stayaway of students by encouraging students to boycott lectures‚ tutorials‚ practicals and seminars‚" the SRC said.
"This call for a mass stayaway is in recognition that it is unacceptable that the university has called for business as usual while our fellow students are in jail and in hospital.
"We appeal to all students to show support and solidarity with our fellow students."
The student body also expressed its "extreme disapproval" at management’s "indifferent attitude" towards the police action.
It also called for donations to cover the legal fees of the arrested students. On Wednesday‚ it said R30,000 was needed to cover the costs.
TMG Digital
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