Meanwhile trade union Solidarity criticised the university’s management for its failure to take steps against “the small minority of students” who participate in the protests.
Earlier the week prof. De la Rey promised representatives of AfriForum and AfriForum Youth that academic activities will continue undisturbed in spite of protests. De la Rey – we assume he cannot be related to the Anglo-Boer War hero – undertook the following:
– The University will not be closed down due to protests.
– Tyrants will be arrested and removed.
– Each tyrant will be suspended forthwith.
– The police will immediately proceed with criminal charges against offenders.
– Student Representative Council elections will continue peacefully in 2016.
Yet, according to Ian Cameron, Head of Community Safety at AfriForum, no measures have been put into place to prevent protestors from bringing the University to a standstill. This resulted in students once again being deprived of their right to education.
“According to security who was present at the main campus, UP management supposedly handed a directive to security officials to not intervene if there was violence. According to management this is an uprising among students. It is practically possible and sustainable to secure classes and protect students at the University – UP, however, neglected to put the necessary measures in place and keep to their own action plan.”
AfriForum Youth is furthermore of the option that UP’s decision to close down the University merely gives superiority to protestors.
In a separate statement Johan Botha, deputy general secretary of the professional industry at Solidarity, the UP management’s inaction is contributing to the fact that a small group of disruptive elements is threatening the safety of both fellow students and staff members. “The university’s administration has not been able to ensure the safety of staff and students at all during the violent protest actions on campus.”
According to Botha, the trade union is concerned about the safety of its members on campus. “By law, the university is obliged to ensure the safety of our members on campus and therefore the trade union will not hesitate to withdraw its members from the unfavourable workplace should management fail to fulfil this obligation,” Botha said.
