Wits student leader shot at least 9 times with rubber bullets

20 October 2016

Johannesburg – Former University of the Witwatersrand SRC leader Shaeera Kalla is being treated at hospital after she was shot by police at least nine times with rubber bullets, the university confirmed on Thursday.

"We know she was shot 9 times by police [and] being treated by campus health and taken to hospital," said Wits spokesperson Shirona Patel.

Patel said Wits campus control and private security do not have guns or rubber bullets.

“Several students were treated at campus health and wellness centre and one with dislocated leg was taken to hospital by the dean of students and campus nurse,” she said

When News24 arrived at Wits health clinic where Kalla was being treated earlier, she was lying on her stomach and was in tears.

Student leader Busisiwe Seabe also fainted at the clinic.  She was seemingly short of breath.

Incoming Wits SRC deputy secretary general Kaamil Alli told News24 that Kalla was shot by police unprovoked.

An SABC journalist also said that Kalla was shot at close range.

Kalla was in tears while speaking to News24 and said she could not address the media at this stage.

About 200 students and workers were gathered at university's great hall under a strong police presence.

Student leader Vuyani Pambo addressed student and workers. There were five nyalas and a heavy presence of armed riot police.

Earlier, a group of protesting students disrupted classes at the university. The protesters took test papers away from students who were writing.

Some students were collected test papers which were torn up by protesting students when they disrupted classes.

Wits spokesperson Shirona Patel said the group were disrupting classes at west campus and medical school. Security and police officers were attending to it.

At least a hundred books were damaged in a fire at the university on Wednesday afternoon, the institution said on Thursday.

The fire was started in the last aisle on the second floor of the Wartenweiler Library, Patel said in a statement.

"Security has determined that the fire was started with an accelerant or flammable substance, which may have been hidden in a bag found on the scene."

The fire was extinguished and a high level investigation was underway by Wits Security and the police.

Patel said academic activities at the university were still under way.

This article first appeared on News 24, see here. 

Update: This is the response from the SAPS to the incident:

REPORTS OF STUDENT LEADER INJURED AT WITS UNIVERSITY TODAY

The South African Police Services (SAPS) is looking into the matter of an alleged shooting of a female student leader at the Wits University campus. There are various media reports claiming that the student was injured on the Wits campus when police members responded to reports by campus security of disruptions of exams.

The Acting National Commissioner Lieutenant General Khomotso Phahlane, accordingly directed that the facts be established; including the circumstances which led to the incident and the extent of the injuries sustained.

The Provincial Commissioner of Gauteng, Lieutenant General Deliwe De Lange, was dispatched to the hospital to visit the injured student and she confirmed that injuries had been sustained.

The matter will be referred to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IP ID) for investigation purposes. Any police officer found to have contravened the law will be dealt with accordingly. We wish the injured student a speedy recovery.

Members of the SAPS are once again called upon to exercise maximum restraint and to act within the confines of the law.

Our approach and management of the situation around campuses must be characterised by discipline and the proportional use of force.

The SAPS has noted with concern that, despite efforts made by all involved, unruly elements continue to disrupt classes and examinations, destroy university infrastructure and conduct themselves so as to provoke the police. We again call on all concerned to act lawfully and to allow those who so choose, to complete the academic year.
Enquiries: Brigadier Sally de Beer

Issued by GCIS on behalf of The South African Police Service, 20 October 2016

Update: SABC footage has now emerged on the incident