Student has seizure in protest scuffle

A FEMALE student was taken to hospital after suffering a seizure during scuffles between protesting students and security personnel at Stellenbosch University’s JS Gericke Library as disruptions broke out there and at UCT.

Other Stellenbosch students were yesterday treated for pepper-spray inhalation by Campus Health Services.

The student was later discharged from hospital.

At UCT, the fate of five interdicted students scheduled to appear before a disciplinary tribunal hangs in the balance after protests flared up yesterday, halting activities at the institution.

The latest wave of demonstrations, which took place under the “Free Our Cadres” hashtag on social media, disrupted the tribunal proceedings and resulted in classes being suspended until Monday.

Later yesterday, government spokesman Donald Liphoko called for calm at Stellenbosch University, saying students and campus security should work to “reduce tensions on campus and allow an environment for dialogue around emerging solutions to the fees challenge”.

Rector and vice-chancellor Professor Wim de Villiers said it was “regrettable that there has been friction”.

“We support free higher education for financially needy, academically deserving students,” he said. “We do this through differentiated financial support, for example bursaries on a sliding scale based on annual household income.”

The library was the focal point of struggles between about 20 protesting students and about 10 private security guards at about noon yesterday.

About 10 students had spent Thursday night in the library, and were joined by others yesterday morning. Their main demand was to meet De Villiers to discuss fees. They blocked access to students wanting to use the library to study.

Student Kamva Somdyala said struggles broke out at about noon, after private security tried to force protesting students out of the library.