The Law Students’ Council and faculty are aware of the events which transpired over the past few weeks. Students’ exclusion from entering or completing their studies has been brought to the fore over the past year. Students have rightly been vocal about the plight of students who have been excluded, expressly or tacitly, for financial, academic, or greater social reasons. More recently, a group of students chose to erect a shack, named “Shackville”, as a symbol for the lack of accommodation at UCT, which adversely affects Black students.  

UCT Management’s call for the removal of the shack, and the events which transpired shortly thereafter, evoked discomfort as it reminded many of the excessive force used against students during last year’s protests. The LSC is disappointed by the acts displayed on campus last week, and we ask that UCT management review its processes of engaging with protesting students. The issue of unidentifiable private security places all students at risk of being victim to unprecedented attacks when they walk on campus in the evenings or gather in groups. We ask that UCT management ensure that the mandate given to the private security company be made public, and that all the private security members wear name badges so that we can identify them.

Furthermore, we accept that the University has the right to suspend students who have contravened certain university policies. However, we call for a review of the manner in which this is done. There is no indication on the suspension letters that this is an official UCT document. There is no UCT letterhead and there is no stamp or signature at the end of the letters. What is of equal concern is the lack of information provided in the suspension letters, particularly the duration of the projected suspension. We ask that more information is furnished in relation to suspension orders as to better inform our student body.

The LSC also urge students to be aware of their rights to protest and to know which actions fall within that ambit. In principle, the causes which the students are protesting for –financial and academic exclusion, the lack of housing, and the decolonisation project – are not causes lost on the LSC. However, we do not wholeheartedly align with certain actions taken by protesting students, and admittedly are uninformed of your intentions.

The LSC will be able to bring your concerns forward to a UCT Executive officer at the Faculty Board meeting taking place early next week. Please submit any questions or concerns to Mbulelo Ncolosi.

We also call on all students who have been suspended, arrested, or are without housing, to submit their names to us as to provide you with the options available to you going forward.

Always remember that the Student Crisis Fund is available to law students – for more information regarding the fund please speak to Abigail Calata, the Faculty's Development and Marketing Manager.

With the above stated, the LSC invites our students to engage with us, your input is valuable. Please do not hesitate to contact the LSC via email or by coming to the office. Changes can only be made when we know what our students want.

The picture of lady justice is licensed under Creative Commons and accessed via Wikimedia Commons.