Angry protesters warn UCT

been told about the charges.

The events at UCT and at other campuses nationwide prompted the Council on Higher Education to express dismay and concern.

It said it had observed with “increasing dismay the acts of violence and vandalism which have accompanied protest action at a few of our universities in the past week”.

“This has included the destruction of artworks, burning of vehicles and the firebombing of the office of the vice-chancellor at the University of Cape Town this week, as part of student protest action.

“The CHE condemns this in the strongest possible terms.”

The council said no cause, no matter how just, excused the wanton destruction of artifacts that were part of the national heritage or the destruction of the office of the most senior leader of the institution.

“This is an unprecedented act of subversion,” said Professor Narend Baijnath, council chief executive.

He said the council nevertheless recognised and supported “the right of students to protest and voice their opinions”.

Meanwhile, prominent social and political commenta- tor Keith Gottschalk warned that universities were “caught between a rock and a hard place”.

“On the one hand, they are having millions of rands worth of property burnt or otherwise destroyed – 20 million at UWC – or they have to call in the remilitarised police, who are often not trained to handle protesters non-violently.

“This hard choice has compelled most universities to pay out millions for private security companies, which drains campus funds that could otherwise help students with bursaries and accommodation.”

zenzile.khoisan@inl.co.za