The Mahikeng campus of North West University played host to some ugly scenes yesterday, violence erupting as police and protesters clashed.

This follows a week where we have watched in horror at the anger and aggression coming out both TUKS and the University of Free State, students clashing over language policies and labour outsourcing.

Now for a little background we’ll turn to News24:

…an eyewitness says students attempted to disrupt an inauguration ceremony on campus in the morning. The new Campus Student Representative Council (CSRC) appointed by management was set to be sworn in on Wednesday. However, some of those unhappy with the suspension of a former CSRC member attempted to disrupt the day’s proceedings.

The former president of the CSRC Linda Mabengwane disputed claims he had caused disruptions on campus that led to violent clashes between students and campus security.

PUKfm 93.6 issued a statement on its Facebook page saying that the NWU spokesperson Louis Jacobs confirmed “security dispersed the crowd with rubber bullets and tear gas.” The same text reads, “some students have been hospitalized [sic] due to injuries.”

If that’s not suitably dramatic then let’s take a look at some pictures of buildings on campus burning down after the same protests, students advised to leave and stay away for their own safety. These from TimesLive:

You want to truly kak yourself? Take a listen to this:

The university on Thursday denied reports that a protester had been shot dead‚ while the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) alleged that live ammunition had been used on “unarmed and defenceless student protesters” by “private security personnel”.

“Rumours have been spread about a student that was killed as a result of the intervention by security‚ but this is devoid of all truth‚” NWU said…

Despite its claims that security personnel had used live ammunition‚ the EFF’s Mbuyiseni Ndlozi said called “on all students to be resilient and stand their ground”.

“The EFF calls on the immediate removal of private security at North West University who are using live ammunition against students.

“They must defend their campus against terrorists masquerading as campus security.”

One gets the feeling that there won’t be a simmering down of emotions around the country before serious  and meaningful reform takes place.

[source:news24]