Wits classes continue, despite earlier chaos

17 October 2016

Johannesburg - The academic programme will continue at the University of the Witwatersrand on Monday, despite earlier protests around Parktown.

On Monday morning, students started two fires on public roads, including one at an intersection, and a bus stop in Parktown, Wits spokesperson Shirona Patel said.

Patel said police had controlled the situation and traffic was flowing freely.

"We have reports of students trying to blockade the entrances to residences and in three cases tried to lock students into residences. All these issues have been resolved," she said.

Meanwhile, former SRC president Mcebo Dlamini appeared in the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court.

Prosecutor Steven Rubin said the case needed to be postponed to Tuesday so that Dlamini's address could be verified.

The court heard that Dlamini had provided police with his Wits University residence address. Rubin said this address could not be accepted because the institution would be closing in a matter of weeks.

Dlamini's lawyer, Mongezi Ntanga, said he had provided his mother's address. This address would be verified by police, Rubin told the court.

Missing student located

Dlamini would in the meantime remain in custody at the Cleveland police station.

He faces charges of public violence, theft, malicious damage to property and assault.

Another student allegedly went missing on Sunday and was located during the early hours of Monday.

The matter was being investigated by campus control and the dean of students was working to bring the student back to campus.

On Friday, several fires were started in dustbins across the Braamfontein campuses. Patel said several buildings were stoned and windows were smashed at the Matrix building. A number of roads were barricaded, both on and off campus, and had to be cleared.

A security guard was assaulted outside a men’s residence and his vehicle's windows were broken.

On two occasions, stun grenades and rubber bullets were used to disperse students.

This article first appeared on News24, see here.