The University of Pretoria (UP) had to pay a cost order of R139 000 after losing a court case against AfriForum Youth in the North Gauteng High Court last year.
The case dealt with the illegal removal of equipment from AfriForum Youth’s campus offices as a result of political pressure. Dr Matete Madiba, Director of Student Affairs at UP, as well as the EFF’s Student Command were added to the case as respondents.
Judge Bill Prinsloo found that Dr Madiba had been dishonest in her statements and that “Dr. Madiba and the truth are strangers to one another”.
“It is sad that the University have to incur costs such as these as a result of taking the law into their own hands and succumbing under political pressure. The money could have been spent on helping poor students to study. Instead, the University has to pay the money as a result of double standards,” says Jaco Grobbelaar, AfriForum Youth’s Coordinator for Tuks.
Grobbelaar adds that the UP should claim the money back from Dr. Madiba, as she acted illegally.
“We would like to see the University holding her accountable and recovering the costs from her personally. These are student funds that are being wasted to pay for her mistakes and dishonesty.”