Protests at the Nelson Mandela Drive campus of Walter Sisulu University, in Mthatha, sparked when news spread that the suspect in a fatal shooting at the university in April was released on bail.
The events harken back to NSFAS-related protests on the campus in April were students were fired on. Two students were injured and Sisonke Mbolekwa was killed in gunfire.
Manelisi Mampane was arrested at the time and has been held in police custody. The Mthatha magistratres court released him on R10,000 bail. He has been charged with murder and attempted murder.
Mampane is the acting residence manager at one of the student accommodation locations where students were protesting.
Students were protesting about delays and inconsistencies in accommodation payments from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.
The government condemned today's protests. "While government recognises the right of students to protest and express their dissatisfaction, the acts of violence and destruction of property, including the barricading of the N2 highway with burning tyres, are strongly condemned. Such actions endanger lives, disrupt essential services, and undermine the very cause that students seek to highlight".
"Government calls on all students and stakeholders to remain calm and engage in peaceful, constructive dialogue. Student leaders and university management must work with law enforcement to restore calm and ensure that justice takes its course."
"The rule of law must be respected, and due legal processes must be allowed to unfold without interference or intimidation. Government reiterates its commitment to upholding justice and ensuring that institutions of higher learning remain safe spaces for all."
