UKZN gets final court order against protesters
The Univerrsity of KwaZulu-Natal has secured a final court order against SRCs at its different campuses, as well as protesting workers and students.
|||Durban - The University of KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday secured a final court order against the student representative councils at its different campuses, as well as protesting workers and students.
Last week, the university was granted an interim order against nine respondents, including the Central Student Representative Council as well as the student councils on each campus in Durban and Pietermaritzburg. The SA Liberated Public Sector Workers’ Union was also listed as a respondent.
Hundreds of outsourced workers had recently downed tools and started striking, calling to be employed directly by the university because this would mean higher salaries and pension benefits and would allow their children to study at the university free of charge.
University students joined the strike, which was apparently being led by the union.
Speaking to the Daily News late on Tuesday, SRC president on the Pietermaritzburg campus, Siphelele Nguse, said the students were still in a meeting with university management, including its vice-chancellor Dr Albert van Jaarsveld, about the protests. He said the SRC did not have the funds to instruct legal counsel to oppose the university’s court application, which is why they were not in court yesterday.
“We told them (the university) at the time they were granted an interim order we didn’t want it to be made final, but they still went to court,” he said.
University of KwaZulu-Natal spokeswoman, Lesiba Seshoka, said the illegal protests at the Howard College, Westville, Edgewood and Pietermaritzburg campuses were ongoing, but the situation at present was peaceful with no reported attempts to disrupt the academic programme.
“The final high court order was obtained by the university to ensure the safety and security of the university community and ensure the protection of its respective property. The university respects the rights of those who wish to protest lawfully and peacefully without infringing the rights of those who want to work and learn,” she said.
A task team has been established to investigate the effects of outsourcing services on the university. This investigation is continuing with an outcome expected soon, Seshoka said.
“The university is cautiously optimistic an agreement could be reached on this matter and requests the space to continue with the process of finding sustainable solutions to the current challenges.”
Seshoka also urged students to refrain from participating in illegal protests and to allow the contingency plan to clean up the campuses to continue unhindered.
University registrar, Simon Mokoena had said in court papers the protesters’ demands were not in line with the Labour Relations Act and would be “unaffordable”.
He had said all attempts to defuse the situation had been unsuccessful, referring to the use of stun grenades by police deployed at the Howard College campus, to disperse a group of protesting contract workers.
The respondents are restrained from:
- Barricading, restricting or in any way interfering with the entrances or access points to the university.
- Preventing, restricting or in any way interfering with the access into and egress from the university by any person or vehicle.
- Damaging or removing any of the university’s immovable and movable property.
- Assaulting, intimidating, harming or harassing in any way anyone attempting to work at the university or gain entry to or exit the premises.
- Inciting, encouraging, organising, participating and co-ordinating any unlawful gathering, demonstration, mass action or any other unlawful conduct at or on the university premises.
noelene.barbeau@inl.co.za
Daily News