Three NMMU students out on R200 bail

Four NMMU students who were arrested yesterday will appear in court this morning as classes at the university resume after a four-week shutdown. The first three students arrested – Lizo Jim, Thandeka Tshabalala and Thanduxolo Nkala – were taken to the Humewood police station at about 2.30pm yesterday.

The three had been at a meeting at the NMMU south campus Embizweni building when they were taken in for questioning and later charged.

A fourth student, Sinethemba Kepu, 28, handed himself over later in the day.

Attorney Zolile Ngqeza, who is representing all 15 NMMU students who have been arrested over the past four weeks of protesting, said the arrests were strange and unconstitutional.

He claimed the investigating officer had taken the docket to Grahamstown and only returned after 8pm, slowing down the time it took for the students to apply for bail.

Ngqeza, who is representing the students pro bono, said: “The students were arrested for an illegal march on October 6 and were kept at the police station from about 2pm for questioning relating to the arson of the clubhouse.”

He did not know why Kepu handed himself in. The clubhouse at NMMU was burnt to the ground during the early hours of yesterday.