Rhodes produces evidence of mayhem
COURT SEES VIDEOS OF ANTI-RAPE PROTEST CHAOS
RHODES University has come out guns blazing in court papers this week, putting up a massive documentary and audio-visual rebuttal to claims that no one was kidnapped, assaulted or intimidated during anti-rape protests earlier this year.
Video and photographic evidence, along with over 30 affidavits from students and staff provide some shocking evidence of mobs kidnapping students, and of them being assaulted and intimidated in a terrifying manner.
Details of the ordeal suffered by three male students – two of whom were anonymously accused of rape on social media – came out for the first time in papers submitted to the Grahamstown High Court this week.
The three men testified to the horror of being hauled out of their university residence beds in the middle of the night by angry mobs, being slapped around, spat on, and held for hours while being constantly taunted, threatened and called rapists. All three abandoned their residences and now live in fear in undisclosed addresses in Grahamstown.
Three students named as respondents and a group of concerned staff are fighting the university’s interim interdict prohibiting protestors from unlawful behaviour such as destruction of property, kidnapping, assault, intimidation, or disrupting the academic programme.
One of the respondents, student Simamkele Heleni, has strenuously denied under oath that any of the unlawful behaviour alleged by the university’s top management – including vice-chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela, registrar Dr Steve Fourie and finance head Dr Ian L’ange – had ever happened.
The students and staff say the interdict is therefore unnecessary, too broad and has a chilling effect on debate and legitimate protest.
In reply to their almost blanket denial the university has produced reams of evidence of unlawful behaviour.
In his reply Fourie accuses the three students, Heleni, Yolanda Dyantyi and Sian Ferguson of perjury. He said the interdict was necessary because large crowds of students had engaged in a vigilante campaign and had invaded university residences, kidnapped students, and assaulted and intimidated all who stood in their way, including himself and Mabizela.
University property was vandalised and offices ransacked.
“On the version presented by (Ferguson, Heleni and Dyantyi), none of these unlawful activities occurred,” said Fourie.
“They further deny any involvement in these activities.” These denials, he said, were “entirely untruthful”.
Photographs depicting barriers preventing road access to the campus, vandalised property, and Facebook posts by the three students encouraging, among other things, a total academic shutdown, are put up as evidence.
The court will also be presented with video evidence when the matter is argued.
The matter was due to be argued in the Grahamstown High Court tomorrow but the university yesterday confirmed both sides had agreed to a postponement to a date still to be set. The interim interdict will remain in place.