NMU students cheer as leader freed on bail

Hundreds of Nelson Mandela University students cheered when Student Representative Council president Bamanye Matiwane was released on bail on Tuesday following violent protests at the institution.

Matiwane was one of seven students arrested on Monday when an anti-crime protest turned violent.

He was released on R500 bail on Tuesday afternoon after appearing in the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court.

Two other students, Aviwe Gaga and Lwando Goxo, were released on warning, while four others were released with no charges being pressed.

Matiwane was released on bail on condition that he does not commit further acts of public violence, while Gaga and Goxo were released on warning with the conditions that they neither obstruct the course of justice nor commit acts of public violence.

The students were arrested after a protest against security breaches on campus turned violent, with campus security firing paintballs and police firing rubber bullets at students, who retaliated with rocks.

The protest ensued after the university management allegedly failed to deliver on promises made during a meeting with students regarding their grievances relating to security on campus.

At the meeting, the parties had agreed that university management would revert with resolutions to the students’ grievances by September 1.

Hundreds of NMU students gathered and sang outside the court while awaiting their colleagues’ fate from 9am until about 1.30pm, when they were released.

Matiwane, who was welcomed with loud cheers and ululation, addressed the students, encouraging them not to be intimidated by the arrests.

“I have been given conditions [so] it is not me who is going to start the fight again, comrades, but it must be you at the forefront,” Matiwane said.

“Just because they have managed to make sure that the president is going to keep quiet does not mean that you must keep quiet.

“For as long as we are representing our students, we are not going to apologise.”

He said he would meet with university management and communicate a way forward.

NMU spokesperson Zandile Mbabela said the university was still in talks with students and could not confirm whether campus activities would resume on Wednesday.

EFF Student Command leader Athenkosi Dayi said students would protest until the university met their demands.

“On Tuesday, they suspended the classes because they wanted to look at other matters concerning our demands.

“So the plan is that we are going to shut down until they have met our demands.”