Political intolerance reared its ugly head when members of rival student organisations clashed during a mass student meeting at Walter Sisulu University’s Nelson Mandela Drive site in Mthatha.
The incident took place on Thursday night when students allegedly assaulted one another using pangas, knobkieries, sjamboks and other dangerous objects.
A video of the incident, which the Saturday Dispatch has seen, has been doing the rounds on social media.
Nine students had to be rushed to Mthatha General Hospital where eight were treated for stab wounds and discharged, provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said yesterday.
“One was referred to Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital with vascular injuries,” he said.
WSU spokeswoman Yonela Tukwayo said they were aware of the incident at the Mthatha campus, but did not have details of what caused the brawl.
“What we know is that they beat each other severely. Doors and windows were also broken in the process,” she said.
Tukwayo said the university was concerned about the level of intolerance among student organisation at the campus.
“We are of the view that our students are not mature enough to respect each other’s views and political affiliations.”
She said they have been in contact with the police to monitor the situation.
“We have requested them to be on standby should anything happen.”
SRC deputy secretary Sabelo Jona said the fight broke out between the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) and the Pan Africanist Student Movement of Azania (Pasma). He claims it all started when the member of one grouping was pushed by those affiliated to the other.
Relations between the two student organisations have been strained after the ANCYL dumped Pasma, which it was in coalition with in 2016, and formed a coalition with its traditional partner, the South African Students Congress (Sasco), to govern the Mthatha campus.
Mthatha police spokeswoman Captain Dineo Koena yesterday confirmed police were called out to the campus on Thursday night. However, no case was opened and no one was arrested.
Jona condemned the violence and said students should never lose sight of why they were at WSU.
“The students of our campus must be clear with the purpose of being a student which is to study and know that we cannot afford to harm each other because our cry is one.” — sinom@dispatch.co.za
WATCH: 9 injured in violent WSU clash
The incident took place on Thursday night when students allegedly assaulted one another using pangas, knobkieries, sjamboks and other dangerous objects.
A video of the incident, which the Saturday Dispatch has seen, has been doing the rounds on social media.
Nine students had to be rushed to Mthatha General Hospital where eight were treated for stab wounds and discharged, provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said yesterday.
“One was referred to Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital with vascular injuries,” he said.
WSU spokeswoman Yonela Tukwayo said they were aware of the incident at the Mthatha campus, but did not have details of what caused the brawl.
“What we know is that they beat each other severely. Doors and windows were also broken in the process,” she said.
Tukwayo said the university was concerned about the level of intolerance among student organisation at the campus.
“We are of the view that our students are not mature enough to respect each other’s views and political affiliations.”
She said they have been in contact with the police to monitor the situation.
“We have requested them to be on standby should anything happen.”
SRC deputy secretary Sabelo Jona said the fight broke out between the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) and the Pan Africanist Student Movement of Azania (Pasma). He claims it all started when the member of one grouping was pushed by those affiliated to the other.
Relations between the two student organisations have been strained after the ANCYL dumped Pasma, which it was in coalition with in 2016, and formed a coalition with its traditional partner, the South African Students Congress (Sasco), to govern the Mthatha campus.
Mthatha police spokeswoman Captain Dineo Koena yesterday confirmed police were called out to the campus on Thursday night. However, no case was opened and no one was arrested.
Jona condemned the violence and said students should never lose sight of why they were at WSU.
“The students of our campus must be clear with the purpose of being a student which is to study and know that we cannot afford to harm each other because our cry is one.” — sinom@dispatch.co.za
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