/ 4 October 2016

Wits University to resume academic activities on Wednesday, says spokesperson

Wits students protest fee increase.
Wits students protest fee increase.

The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) said on Tuesday it would resume academic activities on Wednesday.  

Watch: Mayhem at Wits after police release rubber bullets, and stune grenades on students

Wits spokesperson Shirona Patel confirmed that Wits would continue with its academic programme following violence on campus on Tuesday morning as police fired stun grenades, rubber bullets and teargas at students who were protesting peacefully.

Earlier in the morning, at least two student protesters were arrested while attempting to shut down the university, including Busisiwe Seabe, a student leader in the Wits #FeesMustFall movement.

In the wake of violence on campus, the university management released a statement asking students and staff to remain indoors as it was unsafe outside the campus buildings. The M&G, however, saw private security guards force fearful students out of the Wits Great Hall, where they had hidden from the chaos just outside the doors of the building.

Read more: Stun grenades fired at protesting Wits students, #FeesMustFall leader arrested

Veteran student protester Mcebo Dlamini announced that their fellow protesters, who were arrested, had been freed. 

Student leader Fasiha Hassan had earlier responded to the university’s statement on a potential shutdown, saying this would have been a result of government’s lack of urgency regarding fees.