Court installs SRC leaders back in class

TSHIRELETSO MOTLOGELWA
Staff Writer | Tuesday February 7, 2012 00:00

 

Justice Lot Moroka granted suspended SRC president Khumoekae Richard, vice-president Thumo Seleke, administrative-secretary Tshepiso Nolan Bodilenyane and minister of justice Kago Mokotedi their petition to return to class, prompting jubilation among a throng of the fellow students who made up the larger part of the audience. Moroka ordered UB administration to allow the suspended student leaders back to class while lawyers acting for the university Ð must expedite their papers to oppose the legal challenge the students have mounted against their suspension.

Before their first victory yesterday, the students' attorney Duma Boko had served Dineo Makati-Mpho of Collins Newman, for UB administration, with an urgent challenge to the students' suspension.

Makati-Mpho subsequently argued yesterday that she needed time to consider the arguments raised by the students' lawyers and develop replying papers because she had only received the papers on Friday last week.

However, the students lawyers, Thobo Kerekang of Boko & Co., countered that the students would incur irreparable harm with their continued absence from lessons.

While the university wants the students to wait, we have to remember that students miss lessons, Kerekang said. These lessons cannot be retaken. We therefore oppose the postponement. In the end, Justice Moroka balanced the interests of both the university management and the suspended students' by granting the postponement sought by management and ordering UB to allow the students to return to class with a warning that they do not engage in any disruptive action on campus.

The court further ordered UB management to submit its replying papers by tomorrow and the students to file their reply by Friday. 

The case is set for Monday next week.