On 26 May, a female UP staff member was allegedly \u201cheld hostage\u201d in the Merensky library by four UP students. According to a statement released by UP, the students had also been concealing a weapon, but the incident \u201cwas swiftly resolved by police and campus security services and no one was injured\u201d.<\/p>\n
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The four students have been suspended from the university. According to UP\u2019s media liaison, Rikus Delport, the students will face disciplinary action and possible criminal charges.
\nAccording to a statement released by EFFSC UP Branch, Surprise Silowe who is the branch\u2019s chairperson, Neo Mashaba who is the branch\u2019s political officer and general member, and Thulani Masilela a general member of the branch, were allegedly suspended for engaging in \u201ca robust and progressive program of ensuring that the executive listen to them and immediately schedule a meeting after numerous attempts of internal processes of pleading for a meeting which have been undermined\u201d. The statement also accused UP of being \u201canti-EFF\u201d and also condemned previous suspensions and expulsions of other members of the party.<\/p>\n
Perdeby is in possession of correspondence between UP management, and the UP student commission, which is comprised of SASCO, PASMA, DASO, EFFSC, TSPA, MSA, ANCYL and YCL. In the emails, management responded to the UP student commission, saying that the UP student commission must liaise with the Temporary Student Committee (TSC). Once this was done, further correspondence shows that another attempt was made by the UP student commission to meet with certain members of the university executive. This was denied due to the short notice of the request.<\/p>\n
According to Delport, \u201cdisciplinary action has been instituted against the four students for holding a staff member hostage on 26 May 2017. As midyear exams started on 2 June, it is likely that this matter will only be finalised at the start of the second semester. While the students have been suspended pending the disciplinary process, they will be allowed to write their exams\u201d.<\/p>\n
Written by: Chad Johnston<\/p>\n