By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
A female student has been admitted to hospital after she was shot and wounded in the leg allegedly by police firing live ammunition during protests that have intensified in Johannesburg. Several students have also been arrested.
A handful of students have gathered outside the Hillbrow Police Station in Johannesburg to demand the release of those who were arrested during clashes between protesting students and the police.
The students are clad in different student structure regalia and are from different political parties.
They are chanting and dancing in front of the police station and are vowing to continue until their comrades are released.
The students from Wits and the University of Johannesburg were continuing their protests against the exclusion of students with historical debt at the time of the incident.
The renewed protest is part of a nationwide call from the student union, SAUS, and student organisation, Sasco, for a shutdown of all the country’s tertiary institutions over financial exclusion.
Meanwhile four police officers were arrested on Monday in connection with the death of Mthokozisi Ntumba, who was shot dead on the sidelines of student protests in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.
The Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) confirmed that the four officers were from the public order policing unit.
Ntumba, 35, died when police fired rubber bullets at protesting Wits University students. He was shot shortly after leaving a doctor’s appointment in the area.
A video circulating online suggests that Ntumba was apparently shot at close range, with several rubber bullets. In the video, he could be seen gasping for air on the sidewalk, with bloodstains on his blue shirt and blood on his face. He died moments later.
His death sparked outrage, with the police criticised by some for using excessive force when dispersing black protesters as opposed to white protesters.