NWU clash: Students shot, buildings torched

“A car belonging to a security company was burnt down and two university buildings were also burnt. No arrest has been made, we are investigating the incident,” said Brigadier Leornard Hlathi.

One of the torched buildings was reported to be the administration building while the other was reported to be science centre building.

Hlathi said that police had received reports of shooting, but he was not aware of any deaths.

“I can confirm that we have received reports of shooting and people injured, but no one has yet opened a case.”

He said that the allegations of shooing would be investigated, but pointed out that this had happened prior to the police’s arrival on the campus.

Campus spokesman Koos Degenaar earlier said several students were injured when they clashed with campus security.

“There was an event to inaugurate the new Student Representative Council [SRC] this morning, students disrupted the event,” said Degenaar.

“Security used rubber bullets and teargas to disperse the students. During the process several students were injured.”

Degenaar dismissed as unfounded reports on social media which claimed a student had been killed in the clashes.

“It is incorrect that some one was killed. Reports that security used Sharp ammunition are incorrect,” he said.

Students allegedly pelted the security guards with stones when they were requested to disperse. They had gathered and demanded that suspended former campus SRC president Benz Mabengwane address them.

Degenaar said classes were suspended on Wednesday following the violence that broke out at the campus.