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Wits University student representative council president Aphiwe Mnyamana has been suspended.
The university announced this on Monday evening.
University spokesperson Shirona Patel said the allegations levelled against him were serious:
"He also failed to appear at a suspension hearing scheduled today (Monday), despite having been provided with ample opportunity to make representations at such a hearing," Patel said.
She added Mnyamana, who had been leading the student protest, would not be allowed to access any of Wits’ precincts, participate in university activities and engage in conduct, which constituted "student privileges", and would also not be allowed to stay in Wits’ residences until the legal process was finalised.
READ: Blended learning will continue at Wits University despite ongoing protest
"We will allow the legal process to now take its course."
She said the institution's legal office was dealing with further reports of misconduct by students:
By Monday evening, Patel said the situation was calm on campus.
"A small group of students tried to break through the great hall doors but were stopped by campus protection services. Should the situation on campus settle, we will take the appropriate steps towards reducing the levels of security," she added.
She said a blended teaching and learning approach would continue on Tuesday, adding:
Mnyamana posted on his Twitter page that he had noted the suspension from Wits University.
"I am waiting for instruction from our legal adviser Advocate Dali Mpofu. We will respond duly. However, the peaceful protest will continue with or without me," he said.
A letter addressed to students from SRC read that the student council hosted Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi with the hope that he would be a mediator between the students and Wits senior executive.
READ: No end in sight as Wits protest gets out of hand
"The premier graciously agreed to host such a meeting and proceeded to extend the invite to the department of higher education, the chairperson of the national student financial aid scheme, as well as the deputy minister of higher education. They eagerly answered the call as they realise the imperatives of the demands being made by the student body. Once again, in keeping with their regressive stance of baseless and ignorant non-compliance, the senior executive team deferred the meeting for tomorrow (Tuesday) as they are of the view that students can afford to sleep in labs, libraries and campus bathrooms for another day," read the letter.
The SRC said in showing a willingness to reach a consensus, the student body de-escalated the protest action on Monday on campus. However, they said this was met with absolute aggression as the senior executive team sanctioned increased campus militarisation and both students and workers were subjected to increased physical assault and pepper spray. As a result, the SRC remained even more determined to see the realisation of all demands sought by the student body.
