ANCYL, EFFSC clash at Walter Sisulu University
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Manifesto reading by student formations at Walter Sisulu University’s Mthatha campus turned violent on Tuesday evening when the ANCYL and EFFSC clashed, throwing chairs at each other.
The incident happened just two days before thousands of the university students go to the polls for this year’s SRC elections.
No serious injuries were reported.
The reading at the university’s Zamukulungisa site under Mthatha campus took a violent turn just after the EFFSC had finished its presentation.
Both organisations are blaming the other for the incident.
EFFSC deputy chairperson Bongumusa Hlongwe said it was a female member of the ANCYL that started the chaos.
“We were the first organisation to read, but we finished before the allotted time. Our members then got to the stage and started singing. A female member of the ANCYL came to the stage, some of our members removed her. She went back to the floor, took a chair and threw it on the stage,” he said.
Hlongwe said, they knew more chairs would be thrown at them.
“Security guards who tried to stop the ANCYL members were also assaulted,” he said.
ANCYL chairperson at the Mthatha campus Sinelizwi Mantangayi dismissed Hlongwe’s claim saying it was EFFSC members who started assaulting their members.
“After they were done reading they all got to the stage and started singing. One of them kicked a female ANCYL member who was seated next to the stage and started throwing chairs at us,” he said.
Hlongwe said the attack by the ANCYL was a proof that they (ANCYL) were feeling the pressure and were scared of the EFFSC.
“The organisation has grown rapidly and is receiving huge support from the students. This because evident when Mbuyiseni Ndlozi addresses a packed auditorium at the Nelson Mandela Drive site on Tuesday evening.
Mantangayi said the EFFSC was not a threat to them, “come the time the results are announced, the ANCYL will be celebrating the victory on this campus”, he said.