By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Mthatha High Court in the Eastern Cape halted evictions from student residences at Walter Sisulu University (WSU) in Mthatha, Eastern Cape.
This follows the university decision to temporarily close the Nelson Mandela Drive and Zamukulungisa Heights campuses due to ongoing student protests.
The judge ruled against the university from evicting the students, but also issued an order interdicting the students from vandalising university property.
The recent violence at the Nelson Mandela Drive campus resulted in the tragic death of one person and injuries to several others.
Rubber bullets were fired at disgruntled students on Thursday when frustrations flared again.
Registrar at WSU, Dr Lulamile Ntonzima, said when academic activities resume after the easter break, classes will only be held virtually temporarily.
“We haven’t closed the university. We have shifted teaching and learning to online, from face-to-face, until the week of the first of May so that we can assess the situation.”
He said claims that students were asked to vacate the premises are untrue.
“The university is not closed. Students are staying at residences; they have not been evacuated. The university is not on shutdown.”
Meanwhile Minister of Higher Education Nobuhle Nkabane visited the WSU on 16 April 2025, following the death of a student, Sisonke Mbolekwa, and two other students who were shot by a residence manager after students set his car alight near a student residence during a protest.
According to Nkabane, who spoke to the media at WSU, Mbolekwa was receiving funds from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and was a registered student.
Nkabane went to meet Mbolekwa’s family in Masakana Village in Matatiele to pass condolences to the family.
“We came here as the government to comfort the family… As higher education we heard about this tragic incident and we made measures to come. Yesterday we were moving because this matter was sensitive… There are not enough words, we came to say sorry to the family about the death of the child,” said Nkabane.
Both the university and the Department of Higher Education and Training had previously communicated in two separate statements that a third person had lost their life, and the individual was not a registered student or staff member of the university.