Max Price: I am proud of my son
UCT vice-chancellor Dr Max Price said he and the university supported the #FeesMustFall movement.
|||Cape Town - University of Cape Town vice-chancellor Dr Max Price on Thursday said he and the university supported the national #FeesMustFall movement.
“I am proud of my students and I am proud of my son,” said Price.
“If I could have, I would have joined the protests yesterday (on Wednesday).”
Price, who recently returned from a Brics summit in China, met with media after protest action had broken out across South Africa this week, culminating in the arrests of 29 students and activists who stormed Parliament on Wednesday.
The media briefing took place at the Sports Science Institute in Newlands presumably because students continued to barricade entrances to UCT.
Price’s son, Ilian, was one of those arrested and despite some on social media saying it must be “awkward in the Price household”, the vice chancellor stated his support.
He also commented on what happened when he found out Ilian had been arrested.
“Well his battery died so I only got to talk to him once he was released,” said Price.
“But he is fine.”
Price also commented on the arrests of Ilian’s fellow protesters saying the university supported them and would assist as best they could.
On Thursday, the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation – better known as the Hawks – said the students arrested in Cape Town for breaching parliamentary security do not face treason charges, despite media reports.
“Contrary to allegation doing the rounds that there were Cape Town students who were charged with treason following the mayhem at the Parliament on Wednesday, the management of the police and the Hawks would like to set the record straight and dispel such malicious rumours,” said acting spokesperson Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi.
On Thursday morning, as the 29 arrested students appeared in court, it was reported that some of the students would be charged with treason. This was allegedly confirmed by the legal representative for the Bellville Six, Bruce Hendricks.
The Bellville Six group, who were among those arrested outside Parliament and were held at Bellville police station, includes son of struggle stalwart Reverend Frank Chikane and University of Cape Town student Kgotsi, Rhodes Must Fall movement leader Chumani Maxwele, and activist organisation Black First Land First’s Lindsay Maasdorp.
Early on Thursday the reverend tweeted: “Kgotsi's mother (Kagiso Chikane) & his brother (Obi) on board a flight 2 CT to lend support 2 Kgotsi & his colleagues!”
ANA