UFS spokesperson, Lacea Loader, said the incident, involving a group of about 20 students, occurred 10 minutes before the end of the match between the Shimlas and the Ikeys on Monday night. She said the group moved through the entrance gates of the stadium and requested university management to suspend the match and to make a public announcement regarding the Shimla Park Report.

Loader said the group was addressed at the spectator stands by the Acting Vice-Chancellor and Rector, Prof Nicky Morgan. Morgan said the Shimla Park Report was released to the student leadership structures as well as union and management structures earlier this month.

"The university management is of the opinion that it was unnecessary to interrupt a public event and has offered to meet with the leadership of the group about the involvement of students in the proposed actions and implementation of the recommendations mentioned in the report, as well as other transformation interventions at the UFS as decided by the Council," said Morgan.

The UFS gave an undertaking to the organisers of Varsity Cup and made the necessary contingency plans to ensure that the match was not disrupted. This included the presence of the university’s Protection Services and a standby unit of the South African Police Service.

The match was played until full-time, with the final score 22-7 in favour of the FNB Ikey Tigers.

On February 22, 2016, a group of protesters disrupted a Varsity Cup rugby match at Shimla Park Stadium, which culminated in a mass brawl with spectators. The following morning, EFF protesters pulled down and vandalised a statue of Charles Robberts Swart at the university. CR Swart was the last Governor-General of the Union of South Africa until 1961, and was president of the Republic of South Africa from 1961 to 1967. Protesters burnt tyres at the foot of the statue and used hammers and rocks to bring it down.

Statement issued