Johannesburg - The suspended Wits University Student Representative Council (SRC) president, Aphiwe Mnyamana, has slammed the university for what he says is its failure to conduct free and fair disciplinary proceedings against him.
Mnyamana was suspended from the institution this month following a week of protests over financial exclusion and accommodation issues.
In a detailed media statement on Wednesday, Mnyamana said the institution had denied him legal representation at his hearing, which took place that day.
Mnyamana’s suspension came a day after protesting students marched to the house of the university’s vice-chancellor, Zeblon Vilakazi, and demonstrated outside it in a bid to put pressure on the university to meet their demands.
“Today, on the 29th of March 2023, is the first in a harrowing series of days in which Wits University wishes to incinerate and do away with completely the spirit that underpins our nation’s resilience. The spirit of defiance in the face of injustice,” Mnyamana writes.
“On this day, the university has finally agreed to correct their procedural unfairness and unethical abuse of power regarding the suspension letter that was issued, unjustly so, to the sitting president of the SRC, myself, Aphiwe Mnyamana.
“The bad faith displayed by the university in issuing the suspension letter was their refusal to give me ample time to attend my suspension hearing, and their subsequent continuation without me, despite having been made aware of my inability to attend.”
He said the university had scheduled the suspension hearing for Wednesday, more than three weeks after the first hearing was held in his absence. He added that, even now, the institution continues to neglect basic processes to ensure a fair trial, including the right to legal representation.
“I see this act as nothing but the continuous agenda of killing student activism. I view this not only as an injustice towards myself as an individual but as an attack on student activism at large because, if the institution wins this unjust battle that it has launched against me, it will set a precedent for the next generation,” he said.
Wits University spokesperson Shirona Patel said Mnyamana was misrepresenting the facts of the matter.
‘’He is also conflating the University’s suspension process with its disciplinary hearing process. The two are different – suspension processes are generally urgent and expedited. Mr Mnyamana was provided with every reasonable opportunity to make representations in person, online or in writing at the suspension enquiry held earlier this month, but he elected not to take up this opportunity.“
‘’A further additional opportunity was provided following his request to make representations. His request was granted, and he made submissions at a suspension enquiry today. A suspension enquiry is just one part of the student disciplinary process, which must still run its course. Please note that legal representation for suspension enquiries is not provided for in the Rules for Student discipline because it is urgent and expedited, but it is allowed for in the disciplinary process, which is still to run its course," Patel said.
The Star