Cape Town - The Western Cape High Court has granted the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) an urgent interdict against protesters disrupting exams at off-campus venues.
The urgent interdict, which was heard before acting Judge Penelope Magona on Sunday, comes a day before students begin their final exams in earnest.
Several faculties sat for tests last week at state facilities serving as exam venues, many of which are prisons. The 2016 exams are expected to run until March next year.
Protesters had, during violent protest action aimed at shutting down the academic year, threatened university students not to take part in final examinations.
CPUT spokeswoman Lauren Kansley told the Cape Argus some students had tried to set fire to a building at the main Belleville campus on Saturday night. No one was harmed.
The urgent interdict restrains protesters from “obstructing or frustrating students, staff, contractors or officials in relation to the transportation of students to and from assessment and examination venues”.
Protesters are not allowed to enter or occupy any of the university’s buildings, satellite academic sites or external examination venues. Protesting students are prohibited from preventing access to buildings, violent protest action, erecting barricades and damaging vehicles.
The interdict also noted the damaging or destroying of the off-campus examination venues was not allowed, as well as carrying weapons which included whips, bottles and petrol bombs.
Protesters will also be prosecuted if they threaten or intimidate students and staff. They are also prevented from protesting within 200 metres from all assessment and examination venues, university campuses and residences.
Police will enforce the interdict, which was implemented with immediate effect.
Lectures were moved to the Wingfield Military Base in Goodwood after protesters damaged university property, threatened staff and set a security kiosk alight last month. Private security and police were left to deal with sporadic incidents in which bins were set alight on university campuses in recent months.
This urged university management to approach the courts, Kansley said.
gadeeja.abbas@inl.co.za
Cape Argus