EFF leader Julius Malema said the ANC police were controlled by “apartheid policemen with 36 years in service”.
This comes as 35-year-old Mthokozisi Ntumba was shot and
killed by bullets that were meant for protesting Wits students on Wednesday
morning.
Ntumba was coming out of a medical centre at the time of
the shooting. He died at the scene. Malema said they would get to the bottom of
what happened.
“We are sending our condolences to his family. We will get
to the bottom of this. We want the police who shot him to be held accountable.
We will get justice for that person. We want SAPS itself to pay more money for
acting irresponsibly.”
The National Education, Health and Allied Workers Union
also condemned the use of brutal force by police members against protesting
students.
In a statement the union said it found it abhorrent that in
this day of democracy there are police who treat peaceful marchers like it is
still the dark days of apartheid.
“The use of brutal force against unarmed and harmless
children should be condemned … We will write to the Minister of Police to demand
answers in this regard.”
The Higher Education Department was expected to meet the
university’s management today to discuss the matter.
Students at the university are challenging its financial
aid policies, which are said to have excluded a great number of those who are
yet to register due to financial constraints.
Meanwhile, the university is well on course with its online
learning classes, which have reportedly seen more than 20 000 log on to the
portal.
Wednesday marked the second day of the student protests
across Braamfontein, where a man was shot. For a brief period, police officers
took no prisoners as they fired rubber bullets continuously.
Numerous students were on the receiving end of the bullets.
The Star has uncovered that at least five students were rushed to hospital for
treatment.
One student, who spoke anonymously, said she was ordered by
police to run before being shot on her right thigh and buttocks.
“I was going to the Wits art museum because I was going to
resume my classes there. After we found the door to the museum closed, we had
to run and since I was running at the back I got shot.”
The student expressed her disappointment, stating the
police “enjoyed” shooting her. “I feel let down. He did not care if I was part
of the protest or not, he just began to shoot. He looked so happy. It was very
disappointing and shocking.”
Things got heated in the afternoon, as students proceeded
to Empire Road, blockading the road and singing Struggle songs.
Police resumed firing rubber bullets to disperse the crowd,
while entrances into the university were blocked.
Four more students were shot and one was arrested. Law
enforcement refrained from firing realising an innocent civilian had been shot
dead. The 35-year-old was reportedly exiting a medical centre in De Beer
Street, Braamfontein. A doctor at the centre, Dr Tebogo Sedibe, confirmed he
had treated the victim.
“I treated him, provided him with medication and a sick
note. I heard probably about five gunshots but I was still busy with another
patient who came in after him.”
The doctor said upon his arrival outside, he performed CPR
(cardiopulmonary resuscitation) compression to try to resuscitate him but
unfortunately it was not successful.
Police spokesperson Captain Kay Makhubele confirmed that
“there was the body found on the street that we are still investigating the
circumstances and the cause of death. Now the matter has been referred to Ipid
for further investigation”.
Spokesperson for the Independent Police Investigative
Directorate (Ipid), Ndileka Cola, confirmed they were probing the incident.
“The team will also cordon off the crime scene and conduct
an investigation including locating the person with the video footage,
identifying eye-witnesses.”
Cola added if the incident was within the mandate of Ipid,
the normal investigation process will unfold.
Wits Student Representative Council deputy president
Sthembiso Dabula said it was disappointing police had resorted to violence.
“Students were sitting down and putting their hands up but
they were being shot at.
“If this is the response we are going to get from the
university and the state then it’s disappointing. What is even worse is that
Blade (Nzimande) is a Communist and understands the struggles we go through,”
Dabula said.
In a statement the university expressed its condolences to
the family of the deceased. “Wits University is deeply saddened to learn of the
passing of a 35-year-old man in Braamfontein outside the institution this
morning.
“The university extends its condolences to the family of
the deceased. We condemn any form of violence and call on all persons to keep
calm during this very difficult time.”
The death of the man has sparked an outcry throughout the
country with different political parties calling for accountability from the
police.
The Star
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