Police were not patrolling the Wits campus on Thursday, a student said after his lectures were disrupted by protesters.
Suyash Maharaj was forced out of his class when hundreds of protesting students barged into his Actuarial Science lecture.
”We were expecting police to be outside when we left the lecture theatre, but there weren’t any. We looked for police protection, because these protesters looked like they could have easily hurt us,” Maharaj said.
He said the protesters began banging on the door at the lecture theatre, demanding that it be opened.
Maharaj said they had barricaded the door, but the protesters managed to force their way through.
The protesters then began jumping on desks and forced students out of the lecture theatre.
Avikar Somaroo, who was also present at the lecture, said he had seen police sitting in vehicles outside the university, but there was no police presence on the campus.
”These protesters are doing whatever they please; surely if there was a police presence, then they would not be intimidating us, breaking down doors and jumping on desks. They are damaging classroom material.”
Police spokesperson Cheryl Engelbrecht, however, said that police were on scene.
”We are monitoring the situation,” Engelbrecht said.
Students were protesting over increases in the upfront fee payment they have to make in 2008, and against students having to pay for their own accommodation.
The university could not be reached for comment. — Sapa