Expulsion of two Rhodes anti-rape activists welcomed
EDUCATION activist Hendrick Makaneta has welcomed the expulsion of two students who participated in controversial anti-rape activities at Rhodes University.
Yolanda Dyantyi and a group of other female students took action against four male students suspected of rape at the university last year.
The university sued Dyantyi and two other female students, the Student Representative Council and a large number of other students for what the institution called “engaging in unlawful activities on campus”. The university banned those involved for life.
Makaneta said he welcomed the ban and that genuine student struggles needed to be separated from acts of criminality.
“These students were expelled for leading a vigilante mob during which they held men hostage. No matter how aggrieved they are, they cannot take the law into their own hands. If that happens as it did, the law must take its own course. Everyone is deemed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.”
He said the anti-rape activists committed acts of illegality in the name of campaigning against gender-based violence.
“The strong message that must be sent to society is that no one is above the law. People must protest peacefully without infringing on other people’s rights.
“We must accept that the students were found guilty of kidnapping, assault, defamation and insubordination. These are serious charges which in our view warrants not only expulsion but being banned for life from the university.
“For the first time, we want to agree with Rhodes University on the action they have taken.”
Meanwhile the Socio-Economic Rights Institute (Seri) acting on behalf of Dyantyi, said it would launch a High Court application to review and set aside the disciplinary proceedings.
“Seri believes the university’s treatment of Ms Dyantyi has been disproportionate, unfair and unlawful,” the institute said in a statement, adding that the effect of the order was to ban any campus protest.
In December 2016, relying on submissions advanced by Seri on Dyantyi’s behalf, the High Court in Grahamstown dismissed the university’s application for such an order.
“The High Court did, however, grant a narrower interdict against Ms Dyantyi and two other women students, restraining them from kidnapping, assaulting, intimidating any person on campus, disrupting classes or destroying property.”
The institute said Dyantyi and the two other students applied for leave to appeal against the interdict, on the basis that it had not been established that they participated in any of the activities.
Their application for leave to appeal was refused by the Supreme Court of Appeal, and by the Constitutional Court.
PEOPLE MUST PROTEST PEACEFULLY WITHOUT INFRINGING ON OTHER PEOPLE’S RIGHTS