Cape Town - A 37-year-old man is set to appear in court on Wednesday in connection with the disruption of exams at UCT’s upper campus.
UCT opened charges of trespassing and malicious damage to property after exams were disrupted by a group of protesters, whom the institution said were not employees or students of theirs, on Monday.
Police spokesperson Frederick van Wyk said Rondebosch police were investigating.
“A 37-year-old suspect was arrested and detained (on Monday). He will appear in the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday on the mentioned charges,” Van Wyk said.
In a statement on Tuesday, UCT Acting Vice-Chancellor Professor Sue Harrison said while exams that had been scheduled for the remainder of Monday proceeded as planned, the disruption was an infringement on the rights of students to sit their mid-year exams in a conducive environment.
“The university leadership has received devastating reports of the disruption impacting on students and staff including the tearing up of exam scripts of students who were being supported by UCT’s disability services in completing their exams.
“This form of disruption is not legitimate protest,” Harrison said.
Support was being offered to the affected students.
“Those students whose exams were disrupted will be informed of the re-sit times, including arrangements for those with particular support needs for completing their exams.”
To secure the exam venues, protect the rights of students to complete their mid-year exams and with individuals causing the disruption were neither staff nor students, UCT said it requested that the police come onto campus.
“The university will be on heightened alert for any trespassers attempting to come onto our campus with ill intent. We have been in contact with our partners at the Groote Schuur Community Improvement District NPC (GSCID) to ensure that they continue with their designated mandate of providing safety and security in the public spaces and areas surrounding UCT, while the UCT CPS will similarly monitor UCT’s campuses and continue with their focus on campuses’ safety and security services,” Harrison said.
The EFF Students Command (EFFSC) on Monday had said the protest was embarked on by university workers who had shared their dissatisfaction with being left out of insourcing processes, and were calling for access to medical services, educational benefits and other basic needs.
Cape Times