Five Rhodes University students were arrested by police for public violence and barricading an alleged public road today Wednesday 20 April.
Five Rhodes University students were arrested by police for public violence and barricading an alleged public road today Wednesday 20 April.
The protesting students barricaded Lucas Avenue, leading past the Eden Grove lecture complex this morning.
Grahamstown Crime Intelligence Officer Captain Milanda Coetzer confirmed that five students had been arrested.
The students, however, said they had not blocked any public road because Eden Grove belonged to the university.
"They told us that we were breaking the law because that is a public road. We didn't barricade any public road," students at the scene told Grocott's Mail. "Our cordon was closing the entrance to Eden Grove."
At midday Coetzer said the students were still in police custody.
After the Eden Grove incident, the students proceeded to Rhodes University's Prince Alfred Street entrance and barricaded it.
Armed police and traffic officers followed up and removed the barricades with the help of the university registrar, Dr Stephen Fourie.
A student was taken to hospital by ambulance after she suffered a panic attack.
The police left and the students barricaded the street again.
Another student, in tears, claimed that a police officer had pushed her.
Chaos erupted on the Rhodes campus this morning as police clashed with students, who were for the first time today joined by employees and activists.
Social media has been abuzz with videos documenting various interactions between police and the protesters.
There was confusion over whether certain roads were part of the campus or were public roads.
Many students both on social media and during the protests blamed Rhodes University Vice Chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela for allowing police to enter the campus.
In various videos on social media Mabizela can be heard trying to stop the police from acting against the protesting students and urging them to release those who had been arrested; however, this did not appear to stop the police from firing rubber bullets at them.
University spokesperson Catherine Deiner said at approximately 5pm yesterday, 19 April, police came to the protest site at the intersection of Prince Alfred and Somerset Streets, where protesting students had gathered in large numbers.
Deiner said a verbal agreement was reached between members of senior management and the SAPS, that the police would withdraw provided protesting students remained on campus.
The Vice-Chancellor tried to address students outside the Drama Department at 7pm last night, but students refused to listen to him, according to Deiner.
Deiner said later in the evening, at around 11pm, a large group of students gathered at the Drama Department and proceeded to Piet Retief House in search of a student whose name had been shared on social media.
"When denied access to Piet Retief House, students threatened the warden and attempted to gain forced entry to the residence," she said.
By 7am today, barricades had been erected blocking access to campus.
Deiner said at 8am police arrived to open access to Lucas Avenue which had been barricaded by protesting students.
"Following an instruction from the police to move back from the barricades, an altercation ensued between protesting students and the police. At that point two students were arrested," she said.
Deiner said a short while later, in South Street, there was a further clash between police and protesting students and a further four students were arrested.
The protesting students allegedly trashed Vice Chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela's office.
Deiner said while Mabizela was at the police station attending to the students, his office was trashed, furniture was upturned and papers strewn across the floor.
She said academic activities had been suspended for the day, for the safety and security of all students, staff and university property.
"Essential services will remain in place which include provisions for meal arrangements and counselling services."
In a statement released by Deiner on the university's internal mailing system she said Mabizela had engaged with students and Deans throughout yesterday, 19 April and the following issues were discussed and these decisions were made:
1. All students who have been sexually assaulted or raped by people whose names appear on the #RUReferenceList are requested to report the
matter and provide a statement to Ms Naledi Mashishi, srcactivism@ru.ac.za or Ms Kim Barker, KIMELISEBARKER@GMAIL.COM so that prosecution can be expedited. Once statements have been received pre-suspension hearings will be held, with a view to suspending the
accused pending finalisation of the case.
2. A task team, to look into ways that the University can strengthen its responsiveness to cases of sexual harassment or violence has been
established. A committee consisting of staff members and students, chaired by Prof Catriona Macleod, met yesterday afternoon, 19 April
2016, to put together the proposed terms of reference for the task team. They will be releasing further information about their process
today.
3. A further task team will be established to review the Rhodes University Sexual Assault Protocol.
4. The Vice-Chancellor apologised unreservedly for trying to remove a student, from a cement block upon which the student was sitting, in
his attempt to remove the barricades.
5. Extensive discussions were held with the Deans yesterday regarding the academic programme. The preponderant view was that time in
lectures should be dedicated to engagement on issues of sexual violence and rape so as to raise awareness and educate staff and
students on these issues.
On Monday, 18 April 2016, the Vice-Chancellor addressed students regarding a memorandum of demands that had been handed over. Amongst the concerns raised by the protesters in their memorandum, there is only one aspect that the University could not support, that an accused
is summarily dealt with without due process. The following is a summary of the University’s responses to the memorandum of demands:
6. The University uses both external and internal prosecutors in sexual assault and rape cases and going forward will rely more on
external prosecutors in these cases.
7. The University currently has two people who can receive complaints and the University has committed to increase capacity in the
Harassment Office.
8. The University will strengthen and expand the existing sensitivity training that it provides to staff and students so that they can deal
empathetically and in a caring manner towards survivors of sexual violence and rape.
9. The University confirmed that in terms of the current policy, any student found guilty of sexual assault may not assume a leadership
position.
10. The Health Care Centre and Counselling Centre are considered essential services and as such they will remain open during term times.
11. Any student who is accused of any offence will always be treated in line with Section 35 of the Constitution.
12. All students found guilty of misconduct including rape will have their transcript endorsed.
anele@grocotts.co.za
