The war in the Cape
By Mike Smith
12 th of November 2015
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| Student with police shotgun |
It’s war: Worst violence ever since campus unrests.
At the predominantly black and coloured University of the Western Cape (UWC), students were chasing the police with cut sections of hosepipes, throwing rocks and bottles at them and taking their shotguns, helmets and shields from them. Hiding behind black wheelie bins, some protesters approached the guards, who had begun firing rubber bullets at them. One group also looted the cafeteria and set pool tables alight.
Pics: UWC chaos
More pics: Mayhem at UWC
Even more pics: UWC protests
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| Student with police riot shield |
Even black commentarors are now openly speaking of a revolution
I have to admit that I do not agree with the violence, plundering and throwing stones at the police, because the students will lose support like that, but what it did show, was the inability of the state and its goons to deal with the violence. It showed the vulnerability of the police, that they will still regret, because now people will lose their fear.
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| Student with police riot helme |
If the police use violence, the students will gather more support. So they won’t. The next thing that will happen is that the police will openly disobey orders and refuse to react against the students...or they will simply go home. When this happens, Jacob Zuma should start his jet’s engines and become very friendly with some Caribbean state, because this is the point where the ANC will fall.
Oorlog woed op die kampus van die Universiteit van Wes-Kaapland (UWK).
Woensdagaand is ’n klavier, beddens, matrasse, banke en tafels uit koshuisgeboue gedra om brande op die kampus te stook.
Die kafeteria en ander eetplekke op die kampus is ook geplunder. Selfs snoekertafels is aan die brand gesteek.
Polisielede is met klippe, bakstene en bottels vanuit die koshuise bestook en het traanrook en rubberkoeëls op die betogende studente geskiet.
Ook reddingswerkers en universiteitspersoneel is aangerand.
Studenteraadslede van die UWK is ook Woensdagaand laat uit die koshuise verwyder en na ’n plek van veiligheid gebring nadat die betogers gedreig het om hulle aan te rand.
’n Sekerheidswag se pompaksie-haelgeweer is vroeër die middag by hom afgeneem toe ’n groep studente hom omsingel het. Twee sekerheidswagte is vir beenbreuke behandel.
Die studentebetoging wat Woensdagoggend begin het toe eksamenlokale beset is, het handuit geruk en het Woensdagaand ontaard in ’n mini-oorlog op die kampus.
Dit is moontlik die ernstigste voorval van geweldpleging in die kampus-onrus wat die afgelope maande op kampusse landwyd losgebars het.
DIE UWK IS NOU MIDDE-IN MOONTLIK DIE ERGSTE GEWELDPLEGING IN SY GESKIEDENIS VAN VYF DEKADES.
Waar die onrus die afgelope dae elders in SA grootliks tot bedaring gekom het en eindeksamens op dreef gekom het, is die UWK nou ’n midde-in moontlik die ergste geweldpleging in sy geskiedenis van vyf dekades.
Waar die onrus die afgelope dae elders in SA grootliks tot bedaring gekom het en eindeksamens op dreef gekom het, is die UWK nou ’n midde-in moontlik die ergste geweldpleging in sy geskiedenis van vyf dekades.
Volgens konst. Noloyiso Rwexana, ’n polisiewoordvoerder, is 15 studente in hegtenis geneem, van wie vyf deur aanklagte van aanranding met die doel om ernstig te beseer in die gesig gestaar word en tien van openbare geweld aangekla is.
Vyf studente het Brandon Clark (41), ’n brand- en mediese beampte van die universiteit, aangerand en met ’n brandblusser oor die kop geslaan.
Verskeie geboue, waaronder dié van lewenswetenskappe, sosiale wetenskappe en openbare gesondheid, is erg beskadig.
Die universiteit se hoofeksamenlokaal was teen middagete Woensdag heeltemal onbegaanbaar nadat dit met brandblussers beskadig is.
Benewens die twee eksamensessies om 12:30 en 16:30 wat Woensdag noodgedwonge gekanselleer moes word, is al die eksamens van vandag tot Saterdag ook uitgestel.
Van die gekanselleerde eksamens sal op 1 Desember geskryf word.
Onlustepolisie en sekerheidswagte se pogings om die orde op die kampus te herstel was tevergeefs en ’n kat-en-muis-speletjie het uiteindelik ontstaan, met betogers wat die polisie glo met water gespuit en oor dakke geklouter het om die polisie met bakstene te bestook.
’n Sekerheidswag is oorval en aangerand, waarna studente met sy geweer en ’n boks rubberkoeëls weggehardloop het.
Tyrone Pretorius, rektor van die UWK, het Woensdag gesê lede van die skoonmaakpersoneel het ook aan die betoging deelneem. “Dit maak die situasie ingewikkeld.”
Volgens Luthando Tyhalibongo, UWK-woordvoerder, is studente en personeellede Woensdagoggend reeds deur betogers met klippe gegooi en geïntimideer.
Van die betogers het ook klapmusse gedra en was met sambokke, bakstene en knopkieries gewapen.
“ ’n Vroulike sekerheidswag is ook aangerand en met ’n mes gedreig.”
Die reddingsbeampte wat aangeval is se vrou, Chantal Clark, het Woensdag aan Die Burger gesê haar man sterk tans by die huis aan nadat hy Woensdagmiddag uit die hospitaal ontslaan is.
Benewens beserings aan sy nek, rug en ribbes en snye aan sy kop en gesig, word hy ook vir moontlike harsingskudding dopgehou.
Clark het Woensdagoggend na ’n koshuis op die kampus gegaan toe betogers die brandalarms geaktiveer het.
Hy is met sy aankoms deur ’n groep van nagenoeg 15 mense aangerand.
Volgens Chantal is hy met ’n brandblusser oor die kop geslaan.
“Dit is moeilik. My man is al drie weke lank in die voorste linies om studente en personeel veilig te hou. Nou is hy die een wat aangerand en beseer is,” het sy vrou gesê.
Tyhalibongo kon nie by navraag sê hoeveel studente en watter vakke se eksamens ontwrig is nie.
http://www.netwerk24.com/Nuus/Algemeen/dis-oorlog-20151112-2
Battlefield UWC
The University of the Western Cape campus resembled a war zone yesterday. Police used a student as a human shield, riot gear and weapons were wrangled from officers, buildings were vandalised and property was burnt.
Several fires were started around the campus despite a heavy contingent of police and private security officers. The university said the police were armed with stun grenades, teargas and rubber bullets, and that the officers were shot at with live ammunition.
As evening fell more police were sent to the campus. "We are being shot at. No matter where we run to, we can't get away. Someone is shooting at us. Some students, who are not protesting, are locked in a room," said a student, who preferred to remain anonymous.
Department of Higher Education and Training spokesman Khaye Nkwanya condemned the students' actions. They "were acting criminally by disrupting exams... We are calling for UWC management to take action against those responsible."
Last week, vice-chancellor Tyrone Pretorius met the Student Representative Council and the UWC Fees WILL Fall movement to determine a way forward. The university said it was initially assumed an agreement had been reached.
An e-mail from the university council to students sparked yesterday's protests.
Sabelo Skenjana, from UWC Fees WILL Fall, said the council "delegitimised" their movement and its demands.
UWC Fees WILL Fall members said it was seeking "transformation of higher education" and ultimately "free education and the ending of outsourcing".
UWC spokesman Luthando Tyhalibongo said the group's demands were unclear . He said they had insisted on meeting the council chairman, but the university process did not allow for this.
UWC Fees WILL Fall member Msingathi Kula was taken into custody during yesterday's unrest. Police handcuffed him and used him to advance towards the hostile crowd. Only when students objected to this did officers take him to a vehicle.
According to UWC, students assaulted a female safety officer and threatened her at knifepoint.
One student was bleeding from the head, while a fire and medical officer was taken to hospital.
The police confirmed last night that five people aged between 19 and 25 were arrested yesterday morning for a ssault with intent to do grievous bodily harm . Later, 10 more students were arrested and face public violence charges.
The 15 arrested are expected to appear in the Bellville Magistrate's Court once charged.
Last night UWC said it was "horrified that students could act in this way, in the name of Fees Must Fall".
The police said late last night they would continue to maintain a strong presence on campus to ensure stability and calm.
Exams have been cancelled for the rest of the week.
Violence escalated at UCT on Monday when a senate meeting was disrupted. Sociology professor Xolela Mangcu, who has supported protest action since the Rhodes Must Fall movement began, said: "There is no place for violence at the university "
http://m.timeslive.co.za/thetimes/?articleId=15851739
