NUST student leader challenges disciplinary panel

A suspended Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) student representative council (SRC) vice-president challenged the impartiality of the disciplinary panel before his hearing yesterday morning.

NUST Eenhana campus vice-president Rebbeus Hashiyana claimed that officials and student leaders involved in earlier decisions against him were also involved in deciding his fate.

The disciplinary committee comprised NUST director of student services Dr Donovan Zealand as chairperson, Pius Shifeta, Charles Sibolile, Saara Shilongo and current SRC president Jerome !Nanuseb.

Director of satellite campuses Wynand Diergaardt was listed as the initiator.

The panel's composition was a central point of contention for Hashiyana.

Ahead of the hearing yesterday, he questioned how the disciplinary process could be impartial when some of those involved had already played roles in earlier decisions against him.

“First of all, Dr Zealand, who is the chairperson for that committee, is the one who suspended me on the SRC trip. Jerome is the one who suspended me in the SRC office," he told Namibian Sun.

“I think there's no impartiality there,” Hashiyana claimed.

“Because that panel suspended me in the beginning already, they found me guilty already. Then what is the point of the hearing?” Hashiyana argued.

He also challenged the evidence NUST intended to rely on at the hearing.

“I did not even get any report from the investigator,” he claimed.

Disciplinary action

In a letter dated 22 July, Hashiyana was told he had been barred from taking part in an SRC trip to South Africa after allegedly convening and participating in a media conference that was “neither authorised nor sanctioned by the university” without first exhausting the institution’s internal processes.

He was later suspended.

An official charge sheet seen by Namibian Sun alleges that Hashiyana “engaged in intimidation, by word and by conduct towards members of staff, both on and off campus” and that his conduct was “insulting, obscene, or otherwise improper”.

“It is further alleged that you organised or participated in student action that disrupted or threatened to disrupt the academic activities of fellow students and the general functioning of the university,” the charge sheet reads.

NUST stressed that the suspension was not a finding of guilt.

Defence demands documents

In a letter dated 13 August, Kahiriri Consultancy, acting on behalf of Hashiyana, demanded full disclosure from NUST ahead of the hearing.

“We want all information in respect of the appointment of the chairperson, initiator, investigator and/or any party pertaining to this matter and their terms of reference,” the letter read.

The lawyers further demanded any resolutions taken in the matter, the applicable SRC constitution, the code of conduct or student disciplinary regulations, statements in NUST's possession, and the policies and laws Hashiyana is accused of violating and communications relating to the investigation.

They gave NUST a day to produce the documents.

NUST did not respond to questions by the time of going to print.