UKZN Obtains Court Interdict After Violent Student Protests

The University of KwaZulu-Natal has on Friday obtained a court interdict, preventing student leaders from protesting at the institution.

Parts of campus and private property was set alight over the past two weeks as students mobilised, demanding to be allowed to register without clearing historical debt.

Student leaders have told Eyewitness News that they plan to challenge the court interdict.

UKZN spokesperson Ashton Bodrick said they obtained a court interdict in a bid to ensure that classes started smoothly on Monday.

He said the behaviour of student leaders left them no choice but to go the legal route.

“If our future leaders cannot talk, then where do we stand in the future?”

SRC president Sifiso Simelane said the interdict was unjust and an attempt by the university to intimidate them.

Meanwhile, the university said it had approached Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande to intervene in the impasse, but he had not yet responded.

Earlier this week, the minister condemned the violent protests.

EWN