Student dies at Unisa protest

2008-08-21 14:15

Durban - A 22-year-old man, believed to be part of a group of protesters that had gathered at the University of South Africa (Unisa) in Durban, collapsed and died on Thursday.

At least 200 students were protesting outside the campus, at the corner of Old Port Road and Stanger Street over the university's registration process.

Police said the angry students had been throwing stones at vehicles and had prevented non-protesting students from entering the building to write a national examination.

Ten protesters were arrested at the scene for public violence.

Inspector Michael Read said the student who died collapsed outside the International Convention Centre, which is situated opposite the campus.

"It appears as if he died from natural causes, but the body will be taken to the Gale Street mortuary and a post mortem will be carried out to establish the cause of death."

Read said the student apparently suffered from asthma. Police watchdog, the Independent Complaints Directorate was also called to the scene to investigate the matter. Police have opened an inquest docket.

While police described the protest as "very peaceful", a university official claimed it was "violent".

Unisa's KwaZulu-Natal regional director Magnate Ntombela, though, said he was "saddened" that the protest had "got a bit violent".

He claimed that students chained the entrance gate early on Thursday to prevent staff and students from entering. Security guards removed the chain.

Ntombela said the students later started throwing stones and trying to force their way into the one-building campus.

"Police dispersed them," he said.

"There was a bit of a commotion. We have a few windows broken in the building," he said, adding that a law society exam had to be postponed.

Ntombela said students held a protest march on Friday in opposition to the university's new registration process. He received a memorandum from them which he forwarded to senior management, he said.

The students gave management until lunch-time on Monday to respond.

Ntombela said that, on Monday, he told the students he had passed on their memorandum and had explained to them that their unhappiness arose from a "misunderstanding".

"They expected Monday to be (the) response from management saying they were going to scrap the process," he said.

"Then they decided today that they were going to protest again," he added, claiming they had not informed the university of their plans, other than by making a vague threat of further action in the memorandum.

He said a similar protest had been held last year, but that "it didn't get this ugly".

- SAPA