Two students were suspended with immediate effect from the University of Cape Town (UCT) after sexual assault allegations were made earlier in the week.
According to News24, UCT mentioned in a statement that this act of suspension forms part of their disciplinary measures.
“One student is a respondent in a sexual assault case, while the second is suspended for his involvement in the case. Both are barred from campus. Their suspension does not extend to participation in online academic activities. Both students have been informed of their suspension via the relevant university channels,” they said.
“The suspension is imposed while the matter is being fully investigated by the Special Tribunal, which is working on this issue with the priority it requires in line with the endeavour by the UCT executive to have the case receiving attention as urgently as possible. The university will ensure that due process is followed and that the matter is concluded as speedily as possible,” the university added.
The student representative council (SRC), which the one student was part of, said in a statement that they “strongly [condemn] all forms of gender-based violence” and are “shocked and disgusted that [they] have led alongside an alleged perpetrator,” IOL reports.
It’s understood that on Tuesday, these students marched to the residence to find the alleged perpetrator, and then handed him over to the cops at Mowbray police station, TimesLive explains.
Meanwhile, UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola, said that the university is providing support to the survivor “through the Office for Inclusivity and Change (OIC), whose staff have specialist skills in responding to allegations such as these.”
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