Chaos at Wits
2007-10-03 18:51
Johannesburg - The Young Communist League says there was chaos at Wits University on Wednesday after police fired rubber bullets during a student protest.
Spokesperson Castro Ngobese said: "There was a peaceful march until management brought in police to disrupt proceedings - instead of the police making sure it was peaceful, they started shooting at students."
Wits management spokesperson Shirona Patel confirmed that rubber bullets were fired by police as warning shots when they asked the students to disperse and they refused.
Police spokesperson Cheryl Engelbrecht could not confirm that shots had been fired but said she had heard that arrests had been made.
Protesting students earlier stormed into lecture theatres disrupting classes and chasing lecturers.
Patel said disgruntled students went on the rampage shortly after talks in a bid to resolve their grievances failed.
Students were protesting over increases in up-front fees payments and against students having to pay for their own accommodation.
They demanded no increase for 2008 and were against the privatisation of student accommodation.
Almost 500 students started protesting on the East and West campuses on Wednesday morning.
University Registrar Derek Swemmer said the demand of no fee increases by the Student Representative Council was "unrealistic".
Students would have to pay an up-front fee of almost R5 500 next year.
- SAPA