Rhodes student expelled

ARhodes university student who has been active in the #FeesMustFall protests was expelled by the University last week.

However, first year BJourn student, Makwena Manaka confirms that he has been expelled but states that the expulsion has been suspended until he concludes his studies at Rhodes on condition that he does not participate in any unlawful protest action.

Another condition was that he writes a 3 000-word essay on legitimate protest and the responsibility of protesters to respect others.

Manaka said his disciplinary hearing was held on Thursday 17 November at the Post Graduate Village. He said he was charged with five counts.

All the charges that were brought against Manaka by the university were for alleged contravention of the student body rules. The first charge was based on a rule that provides that a student may not be violent or disorderly.

It is alleged that Manaka, on 28 October acted in a violent and disorderly manner outside the Great Hall in Prince Alfred Street.

The second charge was that on the same day, Manaka allegedly acted in an offensive manner by intimidating a fellow student and verbally abusing her for writing an exam.

In the charge sheet it is stated that a student may not engage in a conduct which is offensive or defamatory to any student, staff member or member of the public.

In the third charge, it is alleged that Manaka acted in a manner which brought the University into contempt or disrepute by verbally abusing another student in the presence of the public, more particularly the media.

The fourth charge states that Manaka, on Monday 31 October, allegedly breached his suspension order in that at around 8.45am, he entered Eden Grove and was later seen at the Humanities Faculty Office, the Randall House.

The registrar allegedly saw Manaka and questioned his presence on the Rhodes Uni- versity campus, as he had been suspended. Manaka was arrested during the #FeesMustFall protests and was released on warning.

“You informed the registrar that you had not been suspended and knowing that such statement was dishonest, false and misleading. As such, you interfered in the proper administration of the University,” the charge sheet reads.

In an interview with Grocott’s Mail this week, Manaka confirmed that his disciplinary hearing was held last week.

“I had to bring forward my case and act against the charges that the institution brought against me.

“I was found guilty on three charges and innocent on two charges. I was found guilty of behaving in a violent or disorderly manner, bringing the university into disrepute and I can’t remember the last one.

“From there I had to plead my case as to whether or not the University should sanction me and what are the penalties that I find fit. But before that the institution sort of brought a blow below the belt when they announced that they would be calling for my expulsion,” said Manaka.

He said from the onset the University tried to intimidate him to be remorseful and plead guilty to all the charges. Manaka said if he had agreed to plead guilty as was suggested, the University could have immediately called for his expulsion.

Manaka said before the disciplinary hearing there were threats that the matter would be heard in the high court.

He said there are three other students who are going to face disciplinary hearings. Manaka said he anticipates that the students will also face expulsion because all of them have been actively participating in the #FeesMustFall protest.

He said there was a specific targeting of students who were participating in the #FeesMustFall movement at Rhodes University. He said the specific targeting of students was an attempt to quell students protest actions.

Manaka said the attorneys of the institution, when they were questioned by the chairperson of the disciplinary hearing on whether they had an example of students who had before been expelled at the institution they mumbled, “literally mumbled” and had difficulties coming up with examples.

“The one example that the attorney came up with was a student who was in an alleged rape case. They were placing students who were protesting for free education on a same pedestal as students who had allegedly violated women’s rights.

“It goes to show that there is that element of targeting students in the movement. The chairperson of the hearing found out that taking disciplinary hearing against me in terms of hours doing community service work would not be regarded as a penalty.

“Because for me participating in the #FeesMustFall movement is on itself an act of community service. So it would not make any sense to regard it (community service work) as a penalty.

“There was another proposal of a fine, but considering the fact that I’m a poor student and don’t have money, the chairperson regarded that as extremely unfair,” said Manaka.

He said the chairperson was in fact considerate of the fact that this particular incident of him (Manaka) was within the action of #FeesMustFall protest. However, Manaka said the chairperson also placed emphasis on the fact that there was a need for a kind of disciplinary action taken against him.

Manaka said basically from now until he leaves the university he can’t be involved in a protest. He said that in itself, he believes is a violation of his rights.

But he said he won’t be taking the matter to court because he is currently under a lot of strain because he has been traumatised by the incidents on campus and has had sleepless nights for several weeks. University spokesperson Catherine Deiner would not comment, stating that they do not publicise disciplinary information.