Ten Rhodes University students were arrested today during a protest in Somerset Street, Grahamstown, according to spokesperson Captain Luvuyo Mjekula, and several were taken to hospital with injuries after police fired rubber bullets.
Ten Rhodes University students were arrested today during a protest in Somerset Street, Grahamstown, according to spokesperson Captain Luvuyo Mjekula, and several were taken to hospital with injuries after police fired rubber bullets.
Mjekula said the students blockaded Somerset Street. When police tried to stop them, he said, they started throwing objects at police vehicles.
Mjekula confirmed that police fired rubber bullets and that some students were rushed to hospital after being injured during the shooting.
Heavily armed police officers from as far afield as Cradock and Seven Fountains were monitoring the situation in Somerset Street this afternoon.
The group of around 300 students ran on to the Drostdy Lawns during the shooting. Ambulances were quickly called and the injured were rushed to hospital.
Mjekula said Grahamstown police had arrested the 10 protesting Rhodes University students for separate offences.
"This was done as the #FeesMustFall protest turned violent at the Grahamstown campus this afternoon," Mjekula told Grocott's Mail.
"Five of the students were arrested for violating a court interdict, while the other five were arrested for blockading the road. One faces charges of malicious damage to property after he pelted police vehicles with stones.
"A Cradock Public Order Police Services vehicle was slightly damaged in the incident. After police fired rubber bullets, the students ceased the [protest]action. Police are monitoring the situation," said Mjekula.
The students are in custody and Mjekula said they are likely to appear in court tomorrow or on Friday.
The situation on the Rhodes University campus was relatively quiet late this afternoon.
A student who addressed others after the shooting claimed the Student Representative Council had failed to assist students.
"Where is the student leadership when we are being shot and arrested like this by the police? Our leadership has failed us," said the student.
Attempts to get a comment from SRC president Mlondolozi Gift Sandi's failed, as his phone was not answered.
However, at 3.15pm Sandi posted a request for donations to a bail fund for 12 students on the Rhodes SRC Facebook page, along with the account number.
"The SRC urgently requests any and all those who can to please donate money to assist the 12 students who were arrested today with bail," Sandi wrote.
On the same page, the SRC's Environment Councillor Stephen Dorbor earlier wrote that it was unlikely those arrested would have a hearing today.
"If that is the case then they will most likely only have their court hearing on Monday. Obviously we do not want them to spend the weekend in prison.
"So we are currently appealing to the high court for an order allowing for the matter to be heard today. The issue with this is that we will need approximately R30 000," Dorbor wrote.
"Unfortunately the SRC will be unable to have access to these funds in an urgent manner because management will block the process. So we are appealing to students to help out so that our fellow students don't have to spend the weekend in prison."
Questions sent to Rhodes University's spokesperson Catherine Deiner had not been answered by the time of publishing this story.
