Students photographed in part of the UCT campus.
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- A student representative council member has been suspended from the University of Cape Town after the Sexual Offenses Special Court found the student guilty of sexual misconduct.
- The university confirmed that the student submitted a notice to appeal the sanction.
- Last year, the UCT’s Special Tribunal for Gender Violence launched an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct made against the then-president of the SRC.
The University of Cape Town (UCT) has confirmed the suspension of a student representative council (SRC) member after the Special Sexual Offenses Court found the student guilty of sexual misconduct.
UCT spokesman Elijah Moholola told News24 on Wednesday: “The University of Cape Town confirms that the special court has delivered its verdict and sanction in a case involving a member of the SRC. The defendant is suspended from the university for a period of two years. Respondent has filed a notice of intent to appeal the sanction.”
Moholola added that the university would not comment further, pending the outcome of the appeal.
Last year, the UCT Special Tribunal for Gender Violence launched an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct made against a member of the SRC.
There were protests on social media after a student posted a statement on Twitter claiming that the SRC member allegedly raped her.
The person described himself as a “UCT student starting my freshman year in 2021.”
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The student claimed that the incident occurred in October 2021.
The SRC confirmed the suspension in a statement.
“He has been removed from the SRC with immediate effect and has been suspended from the University of Cape Town for 24 months from February 13, 2023, subject to an appeal within seven days,” it said.
The SRC added that it was repelled and condemned the violence.
“We stand in solidarity with the victims of sexual assault and stand side by side with the survivors. We will continue to fight against the pandemic of sexual and gender-based violence that plagues our country and the world.”
“We will fight unapologetically for the day we are no longer afraid to walk the streets, for the day we can exist without the anxiety of looking down our shoulders, and for the day we can trust people without fear of what they may be able to do.” ”, said the council.
