/ 18 February 2016

UCT gets interdict against 16 students

A police nyala seen near the shack that was erected by the Rhodes Must Fall movement during a protest on February 16.
Alex de Minaur of Australia hits a forehand against Marin Cilic of Croatia in the third round on day six of the US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre. (Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)

The University of Cape Town has got a court interdict against 16 students, including Eskom chief executive Brian Molefe’s son, following violent campus protests.

The university approached the Cape Town High Court on Wednesday after busts were damaged, and paintings, a Jammie shuttle bus and a bakkie were set alight.

Vice chancellor Max Price’s office was petrol bombed.

Eight people were arrested. One of them was not a student.

Molefe was seen posting bail for his son Itumeleng at the Wynberg Magistrate’s Court where he and others appeared on charges of public violence and malicious damage to property.

“We’ve had discussions about this and he has his views; I’ve got my views about it but I support my son,” Molefe told reporters after their appearance in court.

On Monday, students erected a shack on Residence Road and cordoned off an area, calling it Shackville. Their actions were intended to highlight accommodation shortages in residences, which they said did not affect white students. They claimed that black students were being treated badly.

But Price, at a press conference later on Wednesday, said in 2015 over 75% of students living in the university’s residences were black and the number was expected to be higher this year. – News24