Medunsa students in court following strike

Johannesburg - Five Medunsa students appeared in the Pretoria North Magistrate's Court on Monday, following a strike at the university, Gauteng police said.

The five were arrested on Saturday and charged with malicious damage to property, police spokesperson Rheineth Motlana said.

"They were granted free bail and will appear in court again on the 23rd of September."

She could not provide further details on the students.

The university's student representative council (SRC) could not immediately be reached for comment.

Students at the Medical University of SA (Medunsa) in Ga-Rankuwa embarked on a two-week strike at the university at the end of July, demanding the removal of certain lecturers alleged to be failing students.

A car and the university's main gate were reportedly set alight during the strike.

The university ordered the students to vacate the premises on 6 August. A day later university management and student representatives reached an agreement to re-open the campus.

"The president of the SRC agreed to write and distribute a communiqué indicating that students would cease protests, stop vandalising the school's property and stop harassing our staff members," university spokesperson Kgalema Mohuba said at the time.