Wits exam interdict application dismissed
The South Gauteng high court has dismissed an application by a group of students to postpone the examinations at Wits.
The ongoing Fees Must Fall protests have disrupted academic activities at Wits, with the students telling the court that the situation on campus has made studying impossible.
The group of 25 students cited stress, trauma and a non conducive learning environment as reasons to delay exams.
They submitted a petition with 3000 signatures that supported the postponement.
However, Judge Willem van der Linde listed several issues around the cost of delaying exams as well as the number of Wits students that would be affected.
"There are a number of objective considerations not subject of opinion or argument that a court would have to be informed about, before it would be able to assess the rationality of such a decision, were it taken," says Van der Linde.
The students' lawyer, Thulani Nkosi says they will study the judgement before deciding on the next step.
"We are going to take some time - maybe two hours - read through the judgement, take instructions from them and see what we'll do," says Nkosi.
Meanwhile, Wits management says examinations will go ahead as planned.
"The University's normal rules around accommodation and deferred examinations apply," says management.
One of the applicants, Seadimo Tlale, explains why the need the exams to be postponed.