The Walter Sisulu University (WSU)’s Mthatha Campus residence manager, who allegedly shot and killed a student during a student protest last week, has been charged with murder, attempted murder, possession of an unlicensed firearm and possession of ammunition.
The residence manager, Manelisi Mampana, 54, appeared at the Mthatha Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday for allegedly shooting and killing WSU Mthatha Campus student Sisonke Mbolekwa.
Mampana was arrested last week after the fatal shooting that occurred on April 15.
Lack of funding delayed his registration
Mbolekwa, 24, was a WSU student registered for a Bachelor of Education degree in 2023 and 2024.
The chairperson of WSU’s university council, Adv Tembeka Ngcukaitobi SC, said owing to lack of funding, Mbolekwa could not yet register for 2025, but in March 2025 he paid the minimum initial payment with the intention to register.
Mampana also allegedly shot and injured two other students, namely, Ntando Gqetywa and Lizwa Ndzumo.
Gqetywa and Ndzumo sustained minor injuries during the shooting and were taken to hospital for treatment. They have since been discharged from hospital.
Case postponed for bail application
National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Eastern Cape spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said the case against Mampana was postponed to May 2 for his bail application.
Tyali said Mamapana remains in police custody.
According to Eastern Cape police spokesperson Brig Nobuntu Gantana, Mbolekwa was shot dead at WSU’s Mthatha Campus. This happened after students mobilised themselves, following complaints about the bad state of their residences.
“At about 7am early on Tuesday morning, students went to the residence manager who stays within the institution with his family to confront him about the poor state of their residences.
“It is alleged that the residence manager shot two male students. One died and another one survived and he was rushed to hospital for medical care. It is further reported that the students mobilised and in the process the residence manager’s car was set alight. His wife was hit on the head with a hard object. The family was rescued by the Mthatha Public Order Policing,” said Gantana.
Residence manager suspended with effect
Last week Thursday, the university’s council stated that it took several resolutions for immediate implementation by executive management.
Some of the resolutions include that the Mamapana be placed on precautionary suspension with immediate effect. This while an investigation into whether or not he is guilty of misconduct proceeds.
The council also said it resolved that WSU’s Mthatha Campus should be temporarily closed. Teaching and learning will proceed through online modes.
Meanwhile, Higher Education and Training Minister Dr Nobuhle Nkabane was forced to publicly apologise after she retracted a previous statement wherein she had said that Mbolekwa was not a student at WSU.
Nkabane said WSU’s vice-chancellor, Prof Rushiella Songca, told her that Mbolekwa was not a student at WSU. However, after she asked the department’s director-general to make a thorough inquiry for her, she discovered that Mbolekwa was indeed a student at WSU.
Minister retracts statement
“Yesterday [last week Tuesday], the vice-chancellor Prof. Songca briefed me and told me that the student is unregistered. The unfortunate part is that we issued our statement without doing due diligence. And no quality checks [were done] to see if the student is registered or not. When I saw the contradictory views in the media last night, I asked the DG to verify [if the deceased was a student or not].
“According to NSFAS records, the last payment of funds to the university and student was at the end of last year. I can affirm that he was a student. We are broken as a community. I cannot even speak. I do not know how I am going to face the family [when I visit them tomorrow],” said Nkabane at the time.
