Protests were sparked after a group of protesting workers and students were attacked by rugby supporters during a Varsity Cup match between the UFS Shimlas and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University’s Madibas.

Machini Motloung, the legal representative of eight of the 15 students, says the hearings will reconvene pending findings and recommendations by a commission of inquiry.

Motloung says the commission will be chaired by former Constitutional Court judge, Judge Van der Westhuizen.

“On behalf of the students, the defence made submissions to the disciplinary committee for the matter to be postponed to a date yet to be determined by all parties involved. We will convene on the 26th of August to look at other issues before a new date is then set,” he said.

UFS Spokesperson, Lacea Loader, says she couldn’t divulge any information about cases, other than the fact that they have been postponed, as investigations are still underway.

According to Motloung, the charges range from “public violence to malicious damage to property, impairing the rights of students and lecturers, and impairing the good name of the University of the Free State”.

The university’s disciplinary hearings come after the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in the Free State dropped charges against 7 students and 38 workers respectively over the past few weeks.

There’s only one student who decided not to agree to the terms of the dropping of charges. She will appear in the Bloemfontein Regional Court on July 4, where a trial date will be set.

The students were accused of allegedly damaging university property and contravening a court order which determined they weren’t allowed to protest on campus.

OFM News