Walter Sisulu University (WSU) in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, has suspended the Student Representative Council (SRC) following allegations of its involvement in a taxi strike.
According to the principal and vice-chancellor at the institution, Professor Rushiella Songca, students joined the shutdown campaign by the taxi sector early on Monday morning.
Songca said the students actively participated in the protest that blocked the busy N2 national road. Road users were also attacked during the protest.
Students injured
“Management received reports indicating that there was gunfire at the N2, resulting in serious injuries to some WSU students involved in the Mthatha shutdown campaign,” said Songca.
“To address this situation, the university management has enacted the following resolutions to ensure the safety of students and staff: the campus is closed effective immediately and will remain closed until further notice.
“All students at the Mthatha campus are required to vacate the campus premises and all student residences, both university and private, by Tuesday.”
She went on to say that all teaching and learning activities will transition to online platforms, effective immediately. These activities will continue online until further notice.
“The SRC of the Mthatha campus is suspended, effective immediately. The executive committees of all political structures on the Mthatha campus are suspended, effective immediately.
“Any student identified as having led or participated in activities that endangered the lives of others, caused damage to property, or disrupted university operations will be suspended immediately as relevant information becomes available to the university authorities.”
Soldiers deployed
Meanwhile, soldiers have been sent to monitor the situation in and around Mthatha after the province’s transport department reopened the airport.
The Mthatha airport was forced to close on Monday after five heavily armed men wearing balaclavas threatened to destroy it and ordered that it be closed.
Unathi Binqose, the spokesperson for the department, said that five people were later arrested. Two of them were shot by police after they reportedly opened fire on them.
