Disciplinary action to follow student assault

SEVERAL members of the ANC Youth League at Walter Sisulu University will face disciplinary action by the university after they allegedly assaulted a student belonging to the South African Students’ Congress (Sasco) on Sunday.

SRC cultural officer at the unive Nelson Mandela Drive campus in Mthatha, Mzingisi Faku, was allegedly beaten with bottles and sharp objects.

He was rushed to hospital and discharged a few hours later.

Faku said the incident happened about 4am on Sunday when he heard kicking on the door of his room.

“When I went out to investigate I saw four students walking away. I followed them. There was a group of other students outside,” he said.

He said he asked who was kicking his door and what they wanted.

“Before I knew it, I was on the ground. They were all assaulting me,” he said.

Faku said he did not open a case as the university had promised to deal with the matter.

He said the attack was because of ongoing tensions between the two organisations, which are both under the ANC umbrella.

University spokeswoman Yonela Tukwayo said the management had received a report from campus security of a violent altercation between Sasco and ANCYL, both of which are recognised student political structures at WSU.

“We are following internal disciplinary processes to discipline those who were involved in this violent act,” she said.

Tukwayo said political intolerance was a challenge at the university “and we have had a number of squabbles arising from such intolerance”.

“I want to remind students that freedom of association is enshrined in our country’s constitution. No student should be targeted based on political association,” she said.

ANC provincial secretary Oscar Mabuyane said they were aware of tensions at the campus but thought they had subsided after they engaged with both parties.

“We condemn the action in the strongest possible terms and we wish the student who was assaulted a speedy recovery,” he said. —