Legal action comes after universities fail to keep doors open 

28 September 2016

AfriForum will initiate a class action against universities that, as a result of their failure and negligent actions, will be responsible for paying students possibly not being able to continue with their academic programme for 2016.

AfriForum learned from various sources that university managements – despite interdicts which were obtained against protesting students – deliberately continue to fail in enforcing these interdicts.  

This action directly results in thousands of students suffering financial loss and losing educational time. There is a real possibility that students will have to continue this year’s studies into the next year. 

AfriForum has already launched a petition to which parents can add their details to become part of a legal action against those universities where students have suffered damages. AfriForum has requested these universities on many occasions to take disciplinary actions against identified ringleaders, suspend their studies and prevent them from entering the campus.

The universities ignore these requests and allow continuous violence on campuses. “We have seen how violence on campuses escalated and even resulted in the death of an employee. It is unacceptable that campuses allow students to be assaulted, intimidated and victimised when they only want to attend class. University managements must now be held accountable for their lack of action,” says Morné Mostert, AfriForum Youth’s National Project Coordinator.

“AfriForum has already consulted with its legal team and is currently busy compiling names and other information from parents and students who will form part of the class action against various universities,” says Charles Castle, AfriForum’s Legal and Risk Coordinator.

Support the petition by following the following link.

Issued by Charles Castle, Provincial Coordinator: Gauteng South, AfriForum, 28 September 2016