Protesting students resumed their disruptions of lectures at UCT on Wednesday morning amid a heavy police and private security presence.
This after a night of chaos, following the students being locked out of the Steve Biko Building on Tuesday.
Locks were changed and private security was placed at the entrances of the SRC offices, which had been occupied by the protesters for the past fortnight.
UCT spokesperson Gerda Kruger said protesters gathered outside the building and, at about midnight, started throwing stones at, and attacking, security guards with sticks.
“They stormed the building, breaking doors and windows of the building. The security tried to protect the building by forming a human chain, but it was breached and two students broke through and entered the building.”
A number of petrol bombs were thrown, starting fires in the P9 parking area outside the building, she said.
Protesters then “ran amok” on the upper campus setting several fires.
“Security tried to extinguish the fires and attempted to disperse the group. One security officer was injured,” Kruger said.
Police were called to campus at 01:00.
“A member of SAPS was hit by several stones. Six stun grenades were used. At 02:57 the fire was still burning on Jammie plaza. All other fires had been extinguished by this time. SAPS are still on campus.”
On Wednesday morning, protesters made their way to lecture halls and shut classes down, engaging students on their reasons for the actions.
“We can no longer postpone our pain,” one protester said, as lights in a lecture hall in the Menzies Building were turned off.
Source: News24
