UCT grants clemency to protesters

Vox Populi Vox Dei

Vox Populi Vox Dei

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Agreement with the SRCCandidates/ShackvilleTRC and other student formations:

Higher education in our country is at a cross-roads. There are national issues, particularly related to fees, access and affordability, that need to be resolved as a matter of urgency. At UCT we have our own particular challenges that we need to address alongside these national issues related broadly to questions of transformation, decolonization, curriculum change, institutional culture, names of buildings and symbols, rape culture and gender identities.

Our University has further been characterized by ongoing protests related to these issues which have resulted in interdicts, suspensions, expulsions,arrests, the use of private security and police action.

The 2015 academic year was put into jeopardy and there are concerns that the 2016 academic year will also be compromised.

The executive and students have been in ongoing negotiations to find a way forward.

From the side of management,we believe that there is sufficient common ground for us to reach agreement on a set of principles which can break the deadlock and move the university forward in the best interests of all the constituencies.

Agreement on these principles can lead to a de-escalation of the tensions,end the cycle of protests and counter-actions, limit the need for private security and create the conditions where the 2016 academic year can still be completed by all students. Such an agreement can also provide the framework for solutions to the longer term challenges that the university faces that can lead to the emergence of a new, inclusive identity in a transformed, decolonized UCT.

Towards this end, the executive offers the following to the SRCCandidates/ ShackvilleTRC/ Other student formations as the basis of an agreement:
1. Clemency and executive accountability
a) In the spirit of restorative justice that takes into account the prevailing context of student protest at UCT and nationally,and to ensure the successful completion of the 2016 academic year, and understanding that the rights to protest as outlined in the Constitution are protected, clemency is granted on the basis of the following principles:
i) signing a declaration (attached) by specific individual students who have been subject to Student Disciplinary Tribunals that will provide clemency for specific offences which relate to the protests around February 2016
ii) formally acknowledging wrong-doing and committing not to repeat such actions in the future by those granted clemency
iii) accepting that if the student is in breach of the Student Code of Conduct after November 6 2016, the University shall be entitled to charge the student as provided for in the University's student disciplinary procedures.
iv) Agreeing that if there are disruptions of exams, academic activities, the residence system (inclusive of the dining halls and other recreational spaces) or the normal functioning of the university, and where no clear evidence is demonstrated that concerted efforts were taken to prevent such actions, the University may approach the mediators to request revoking the clemency.
v) understanding that the IRTC/Shackville TRC will request submissions from all constituencies on the clemencies granted and make recommendations on the granting of amnesties (or the continuation of clemency) and what the nature of these amnesties will be.
b) The University Executive, Chief Investigating Officer and Shackville TRC will make available to the IRTC/Shackville TRC a full list of pending internal and external charges against students related to student protest action up until November 6.
c) A moratorium on disciplinary tribunals relating to the list of cases pending the recommendations of the IRTC/Shackville TRC on acceptable forms of protests and appropriate disciplinary procedures and sanctions by the university. The IRTC/Shackville TRC will make recommendations on how to deal with each outstanding case in the spirit of restorative justice.
d) The executive will also subject its actions to investigation and recommendations by the IRTC/Shackville TRC and respect the outcome of this process.
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Read more: http://www.politicsweb.co.za/documents/uct-and-the-fallists-the-agreement
 
so the violent swines and their sjw brethren win the day ...... what a bunch of spineless twits.
 
From the side of management, we believe that there is sufficient common ground for us to reach agreement on a set of principles which can break the deadlock and move the university forward in the best interests of all the constituencies.
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Common ground,

Agreement on these principles can lead to a de-escalation of the tensions,end the cycle of protests and counter-actions, limit the need for private security and create the conditions where the 2016 academic year can still be completed by all students. Such an agreement can also provide the framework for solutions to the longer term challenges that the university faces that can lead to the emergence of a new, inclusive identity in a transformed, decolonized UCT.
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why not be clear and announce their support?

To quote senior lecturer, Gregor Leigh,

http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-afr...protest-its-intimidation-uct-lecturer-2075515

“This is not protest, it’s intimidation, in some cases terrorism. These people have long been outside the law.”

“Many of us think that we can avoid security confrontation, those people are smoking their socks.”
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Common ground... as concluded,

But he was hopeful the university would be able to “dig itself out of this one way or another. We love this place dearly”.
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The snowball of UCT is gathering momentum as it rolls down the decolonized hill to the point of destruction
 
Just burn the whole of uct down and be done with it already.
 
UCT deserves everything it got and will still get.
 
UCT can do as it pleases. However, as a taxpayer I insist that those who damaged property paid from the public purse be prosecuted. It's a matter of simple justice. The students prattling on about justice must be made to realise that justice is blind and cuts both ways.
 
what an excellent decision.

encourage people not to take responsibility for their action.

see you again in 2017
 
Do the really think FML are going to see this reprieve as an opportunity to redo the whole thing peacefully and properly? Have they at any point shown a willingness to negotiate or compromise? Most likely they will sign the damn get out of jail free card and carry on regardless.
 
Arthur said:
UCT can do as it pleases. However, as a taxpayer I insist that those who damaged property paid from the public purse be prosecuted. It's a matter of simple justice. The students prattling on about justice must be made to realise that justice is blind and cuts both ways.
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100%...

UCT can grant them clemency or whatever they want, the SAPS must still charge them and prosecute them to the full extent of the law.
 
Arthur said:
UCT can do as it pleases. However, as a taxpayer I insist that those who damaged property paid from the public purse be prosecuted. It's a matter of simple justice. The students prattling on about justice must be made to realise that justice is blind and cuts both ways.
Click to expand...

+1

We should now demand that the bureaucrats who run UCT, and who made this decision, pay for the damages out of their own pockets. If they will not hold the rioters accountable for the losses as trustees of the public instituition, they themselves must pick up the tab. Why should WE, the public have to pay for their incompetency and tacit complicity?

We need to sue them for the damages in their personal capacity. Let them pay for their defence out of their own pockets.
 
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