STONES, BULLETS FLY AT WITS AS STUDENTS AND SECURITY FORCES CLASH
BROKEN glass inside Wits Great Hall and rocks on its steps were the only evidence left of what almost turned out to be a bloody fight between students and private security guards.
For what seemed like eternity, rocks flew between Wits University students and private security guards who were stationed at the Great Hall’s entrance prohibiting students who wanted to access Senate House.
From early yesterday, Wits students, who declared a total shutdown of the campus on Monday following an announcement by Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande that universities can increase fees by no more than 8%, moved from one campus to the next to ensure that there was no teaching and learning.
Students were resolute that they wanted free education or nothing.
They marched under a huge contingent of heavily armed police. On more than one occasion while marching to the education campus in Parktown, Johannesburg, they had to duck and dive from stun grenades and rubber bullets fired by police.
There was a standoff between students and police on Queen Street in Parktown after police fired rubber bullets at students and students demanded to know what they had done wrong.
“We only want to go to our school. Why are you shooting at us?”
They then took out their student cards and held them up as a sign that they were just students wanting to access their campus. Students had to ask for permission from the police to move from one campus to the next.
There was calm and singing as students moved from the education campus to the main campus, but things soon changed for the worst.
Students who alleged they were refused access to occupy Senate House by the university on Monday night found private security guards stationed at the entrance of the Great Hall, a clear sign that they were not welcome.
Students tried to push their way in, but were not successful. One student threw a rock at security guards, and this led to a sea of rocks flying back and forth.
Police on horseback came but did nothing, and watched as the fight intensified.
More police came and also stood and did nothing, but at this point students had surrendered and had their hands up in the air.
The security guards, after talking to police, allowed the students to go in but under the watchful eye of police officers.
Senate House is where students hold their meetings.