Yesterday, thousands of students at Durban’s Mangosuthu University of Technology, Durban University of Technology and the University of Joburg demonstrated after being excluded from financial aid. Msizi Shange (23), an SRC member at Mangosuthu University, was left unconscious after being shot by rubber bullets while addressing students yesterday. He was speaking to them about the outcome of a meeting with university management on Monday afternoon. When the students refused to disperse, guards allegedly started shooting at Msizi, injuring 10 other students. Injured Nkululeko Sithole (22) said the guards refused to listen to Msizi’s explanation for why they were having a meeting. “They started shooting him on his upper body. We ran for cover and watched in horror as they carried on shooting at him while he lay on the ground. When we tried to rescue him, they shot at us,” he said. Captain Thulani Zwane confirmed that a 23-year-old student was allegedly shot by university security guards during a protest on the university premises. “The victim was taken to hospital for medical attention and was later discharged. Umlazi police are investigating a case of attempted murder and no arrest has been made at this stage,” he said. At the Durban University of Technology, lectures were suspended until further notice. At the University of Joburg, 20 students were arrested for disrupting registration at the Auckland Park campus. Spokesman Herman Esterhuyzen said the students would face disciplinary action and criminal charges. Msulwa Daca of the financial aid scheme said even though their budget had increased from 3,1 billion in 2009 to R8,3 billion last year, it was still not enough to keep up with the number of students in need.
Posted on: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 06:38:25 +0000
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