The Student Representative Council (SRC) at Walter Sisulu University (WSU) is calling for the immediate suspension and removal of a residence manager accused of fatally shooting a man during a student protest. The incident occurred in the early hours of Tuesday at the university’s Nelson Mandela Drive Campus in Mthatha, Eastern Cape.
SRC President Balungile Madikizela says students are outraged and are demanding swift action while investigations are still underway. He insists that the individual who was killed was indeed a student — a claim that directly contradicts the university’s official statement, which said the deceased was not a registered student.
On Tuesday evening, students held a candlelight vigil to honour the life lost and show solidarity with others who were injured in the incident.
The protest, reportedly sparked by frustrations over inadequate student housing, escalated when demonstrators allegedly entered a staff residence. It is believed that the residence manager opened fire during the confrontation.
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Nobuntu Gantana confirmed that a preliminary investigation is ongoing, with no arrests or charges laid as yet. “We are still trying to establish the circumstances that led to the shooting,” she said.
Authorities continue to probe the matter as students maintain their call for accountability and improved living conditions.