Wits asks protesters to give peace a chance
Deputy vice-chancellor says the shooting of rubber bullets is unfortunate, but must be understood against a background of violent protests on campus
University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) deputy vice-chancellor Tawana Kupe on Friday made a plea for peace on campus‚ a day after protesters accused police of heavy-handed tactics. The student representative council (SRC) called for a mass meeting outside the Great Hall on Friday morning‚ after at least four students had to be treated for rubber-bullet wounds on Thursday. Among them was former SRC president Shaeera Kalla‚ who claimed she was shot up to 13 times in the back at close range and was hospitalised overnight. Kupe agreed that the shootings were unfortunate‚ but said they had to be understood against a background of violent protests on the campus. He was talking to Radio 702 on Friday morning. "If you have a general context where there is violence‚ unfortunate incidents and dangerous incidents will happen‚ that is why we have been pleading with everyone to say‚ ‘Let’s remove the violent element.’ "That’s why we went to the church‚ let’s have peace‚" he said. A peace meeting ...
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