#OpenOurUniversities: incidents of arson and violence must result in arrests

20 October 2016

Over the last 24 hours, numerous incidents of violence and arson have been reported on campuses. 

At the University of the Western Cape, a residence was severely damaged by fire. 

A case of arson has also been opened at the University of the Witwatersrand, following a fire starting at the Wartenweiler Library – the biggest on campus.

This damage to property will in the end hurt poor students in particular. Indeed, the R600 million of damages, and growing, is money that could be better spent on those students who do not have the money to study.

This violence cannot be allowed to continue. Those who violate the law in this way must be held accountable through our criminal justice system, and be arrested by the South African Police Service. 

The DA will accordingly submit a series of parliamentary questions to ascertain what steps the SAPS are taking, lawfully, to ensure that those who use destruction and violence as a weapon are brought to book. 

We will also inquire as to why these incidents of arson, which cause costly damages to institutions of higher learning, are not being averted by competent criminal intelligence. 

The DA is concerned by allegations of police misconduct in ensuring law and order is restored to campuses. We expect all South Africans, both students and police officers alike, to obey the law. We therefore encourage any person who believes that the SAPS has not executed its functions lawfully to submit evidence to Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID).

My colleague, DA Shadow Deputy Minister of Police, Marius Redelinghuys MP, will furthermore write a letter to the head of this police watchdog, Robert McBride, to obtain details of any incidents currently reported to the Unit. 

Ensuring our Universities re-open and stay open must be a key concern for all South Africans. Should our Universities not re-open, our economy will be hard hit, and the future of matriculants and potential graduates fundamentally undermined.  

This does not mean that efforts to ensure more funding for poor students should be ignored. The DA will continue to work hard to ensure that more funding is made available, so that no person is denied an education because they do not have the money to study.

We can and must peacefully resolve this crisis, so that the future of our country is not brought into jeopardy. 

Issued by Belinda Bozzoli, DA Shadow Minister of Higher Education and Training, 20 October 2016