NMMU probing alleged attack on SRC president

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU) is investigating allegations that SRC president Nicholas Nyati was attacked by SASCO members on campus last Monday.

The university’s spokeswoman Debbie Derry said they were aware of the incident “involving students from different political affiliations”.

“It is presently investigating the various allegations and once these investigations have been concluded‚ will act accordingly. The university condemns violence in the strongest terms‚” she said.

The attack which was caught on a camera at the NNMU main campus entrance shows eight men armed with weapons including sticks‚ spades and batons chasing Nyati and NMMU SRC secretary-general Luvo Vimbani down the hall.

Nyati earlier said the incident which happened on Monday was one of five he and his colleagues had suffered since February.

“I came out from training (a meeting) to go buy food for our training group and then as I got out of the elevator I saw a group of eight heavily armed men charging towards us shouting ‘there they are’ and I started running away.

“They ran after us and when they caught up with me they held me by the collar of my shirt until they took us to the training room. I asked why they were doing this and they said they want to beat us up‚” Nyati added.

Nyati was saved by campus security‚ but says he suffers from a painful back as a result of the beating.

Nyati said he had laid a case of assault against the men at the Humewood police on Thursday.

Tiso Black Star Group Digital/The Herald