Deceased in campus shooting ‘not a student’ – WSU

It’s alleged a residence manager at the WSU’s Mthatha campus opened fire on students who had been protesting over unresolved residential campus issues.

According to the university, the protests erupted without prior notice in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

“Initial engagements with the Institutional Student Representative Council have revealed that the leadership of was unaware of any planned protest action by students. At this stage, the cause of the unrest remains unclear, and investigations are underway,” read the statement released by the institution on Tuesday evening.

Earlier reports suggested that the deceased was a student at the university, however, WSU says this was not the case.

READ: EC police investigate WSU shooting incident

“Two students also sustained minor injuries during the incident. They were taken to hospital, treated, and have since been discharged. Tragically, a third person lost their life during the home invasion. This individual is not a student nor a staff member of the university. Authorities are working to determine the identity of the deceased, and the reason for their involvement in the incident.”

HOME INVASION

The WSU says during Tuesday morning’s student protest, the on-campus home of a staff member was forcefully entered by students and other unknown individuals.

It’s alleged that during the violence, the wife of the staff member sustained serious injuries.

“The staff member and his young children had to be rescued by the South African Police Service. Precautionary measures have been taken to ensure the safety of other staff members who reside on campus.”

An angry crowd, who covered their faces with cloths and t-shirts, torched vehicles and destroyed property before reaching an agreement with officers to stand down.

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