A SECURITY guard is recovering in hospital after he was assaulted by University of Zululand students yesterday.
According to SAPS spokesperson Captain Mobongeni Mdlalose, the man was beaten with sticks, sustaining severe head wounds.
An attempt was also made to set a private security vehicle on fire, but the flames were quickly controlled.
‘Mtunzini police are investigating a case of public violence, malicious damage to property and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm,’ said Mdlalose.
Some lecturers and staff have also reported to the Zululand Observer that they were accosted by students while attempting to leave the campus yesterday.
‘I can confirm that a security guard was critically injured, but in a stable condition in hospital,’ said Unizulu director of communications, Gcina Nhleko.
It is believed the students singled out the man as he had been observed firing teargas and rubber bullets at protesting students.
SRC under fire
Unizulu’s Student Representative Council (SRC) president, Wandile Mathebula, was on Thursday morning also assaulted by an angry mob of students.
According to student leaders who chose to remain anonymous, Mathebula and other SRC members were confronted at the SRC offices.
An argument broke out and Mathebula was reportedly beaten by a number of other students, some wielding sticks.
The university’s Protection Services Department security staff were forced to intervene.
‘He is not leading us,’ said a student leader. ‘He is too involved in recent scandals at this institution.’
Students took to the streets on Wednesday night after a media report about the university possibly losing accreditation for the Bachelor of Education qualification was widely circulated.
The Zululand Observer earlier this month reported that Mathebula’s marks had allegedly been changed for him to be eligible to stand for elections as part of an ongoing degrees-for-sale scandal.
‘It’s time they do something about all the problems at this place. We want to go back to class and finish our studies,’ the student said.
The student leader, as well as other students, confirmed that they were not going to class, despite vice chancellor Xoliswa Mtose’s assertions at a press briefing on Wednesday that all was well at the university and classes were indeed continuing.
‘The situation was tense yesterday amid threats from students, so everyone is treading cautiously,’ said Nhleko.
A memorandum calling for a vote of no confidence in Mtose and other members of the executive management was signed by at least 380 staff and handed over to the university this morning.
Meanwhile, student political bodies have called a media press briefing at the university this morning.
Listen to ZO journalist Kyle Cowan’s interview about issues at Unizulu on East Coast Radio’s Trending Tonight show last night:
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