The Eastern Cape High Court in Makhanda has granted Rhodes University an interim interdict, effectively halting student protests over the university's 2027 Protocol on the Payment of Student Fees. The interdict, granted on September 30, prevents students from continuing protest action until the matter returns to court on October 27. This means students are barred from protesting while the interdict remains in force, allowing the university to proceed with its operations.
The court ruling follows two days of protest action led by the Student Representative Council (SRC), during which students blocked all entrances to campus in rejection of the proposed fee protocol. The university had approached the court to obtain the interdict, citing disruptions to academic activities. The SRC had received the university's court papers on the morning of September 30 but had not had sufficient time to prepare a response.
Attorney Kabelo Xingwana, representing the SRC, requested a postponement to allow the students to prepare an answering affidavit. However, the judge refused this request. Xingwana stated that the students would file a response to the university's allegations in time for the October 27 hearing. The SRC had urged students to pause the protest to avoid arrest, following the court's decision.
The university has welcomed the interdict, emphasizing that students are prohibited from engaging in unlawful activities on campus. These activities include interfering with access to and movement on campus, intimidating or threatening members of the university community, disrupting academic processes, and interfering with staff and the ordinary functioning of the university.
The interdict specifically lists prohibited activities, including blocking entrances, disrupting lectures and tutorials, and interfering with the use of library facilities and laboratories. The university has reiterated its commitment to maintaining a safe and secure environment for all members of the university community.
SRC President Thalethu Magidela had to intervene, urging students to pause the protest to avoid being arrested. The students had been protesting against the 2027 Protocol on the Payment of Student Fees, which they reject. The protocol's implementation had been slated for 2027.
The court has set the matter down for a hearing on October 27, at which point the students will have an opportunity to present their case. The university and students will engage in a legal battle over the proposed fee protocol, with the interdict remaining in force until then.
Key points
- The Eastern Cape High Court granted Rhodes University an interim interdict, stopping student protests over the 2027 fee protocol.
- The interdict prohibits students from engaging in unlawful activities on campus, including disrupting academic processes and interfering with staff.
- The matter is set down for a hearing on October 27, at which point the students will present their case.
