University of Pretoria (UP) protesting employees ran for cover as a fracas between them and police ensued at the Hatfield campus, east of Pretoria, yesterday.

The staffers are part of a wage protest.

In a video circulating on social media, an officer can be heard asking a protester ‘What will you do to me?’. In turn, a protester asks the same question of the officer.

Seconds later, the officer fires a tear gas canister into the crowd. As they disperse for cover, rubber bullets are fired.

It is unclear what happened before the altercation, but UP confirmed in a statement that teargas and rubber bullets were used as ‘police acted to disperse the striking workers’.

It added that it will look into reports of the ‘use of force’ during the incident, and is gathering information to understand the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“A group of striking staff unlawfully disrupted academic activities. Police officers engaged the striking staff and asked them to follow the picketing rules.

“Our priority is always the safety and well-being of all staff and students. We will provide further updates as more information becomes available,” UP said.

It added that the situation at the university was calm after the protesters returned to the designated picketing area.

“We strongly condemn the illegal disruption of academic activity on our campus.”

The university promised action and maintained that it is committed to resolving disputes with aggrieved workers through constructive dialogue and within the boundaries of the law.

Court order in place

The university obtained a court order against its National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu)-affiliated staff to desist from disrupting operations when they were striking at the same campus on February 19.

The disruptions outraged students as many had started their 2024 semester.

The strike is allegedly part of a wage dispute between Nehawu and UP, which turned into a protected strike last week.

As a result, UP hosted classes online temporarily, as the disruptions lasted almost four days, and students were unable to access the campus due to blocked gates.

The decision affected classes at the Hatfield campus only.

Spokesperson Sashlin Girraj confirmed that the university served court papers on the striking workers on February 22, informing them that the order sought to maintain safety on its premises amid ongoing strike action.

“The court order seeks to prevent striking workers from engaging in certain activities that could disrupt the operations and safety of the university community.”

The court ordered:

• Restricting picketing activities to the demarcated area of the Hatfield campus engineering gate, as agreed upon in the picketing rules.
• Prohibiting picketing near or on any other of the university’s campuses, except in the designated area.
• Prohibiting intimidation of non-striking employees, replacement labour, or any other individuals.
• Preventing obstruction of vehicles or traffic entering or leaving the university’s premises.
• Ensuring no blockage of entrances or gates on any of the university’s campuses.
• Allowing access to all members of the public, including visitors, employees, students, and service providers.
• Prohibiting any unlawful or violent actions, including intimidation, coercion, threats, assault, or property damage.
• Enforcing a minimum distance of 100m from any entrance of the university’s campuses, except in the designated area.
• Restraining any unlawful interference with the university’s operations, activities, and academic programmes.
• Prohibiting any violent or unlawful conduct in pursuit of wage demands, including harassment, assault, prevention of services, interference with traffic, and property damage.

AfriForum Youth manager Ronald Peters said he was disappointed by the unrest at UP and of striking employees who are intimidating students and denying them access to the campus.

Peters said the first day of class at the campus was chaotic, and the youth organisation demanded action.

He said a large number of the campus security personnel were part of the strike, which left campus security vulnerable, and added that UP management had enough time to take necessary precautions to ensure that the academic year kicked off without problems and that the strike did not interfere with lectures’ and students’ safety.

“UP management must now fulfil its responsibility and ensure that students who want to enter or leave the campus can do so freely and without fear of intimidation.”

The strike began on February 15.

Nehawu vowed it will embark on industrial action and strike action indefinitely until its demands are met.

The following demands were made to UP:

• 7% increase
• 13^th cheque
• Once-off bonus
• Five days’ leave
• Long service cash award for 10, 15 and 20 years.