South African police shooting at student protestors on Wednesday killed an unnamed person at the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, the university has confirmed.
The dead man, described as a 35-year-old civilian, was allegedly caught in the line of fire between the protesting students and the police who allegedly used rubber bullets in the incident, the varsity said.
Wits University expressed concern at the escalation of the ongoing two-day student protests over schools fees and registration problems.
The country’s Independent Police Investigative Directorate said it was investigating the killing of the civilian who was not part of the demonstrations.
According to the students, their protests are over the unavailability of scholarships and non-registration of new students at the university.
The students are demanding that all academically qualified students be allowed to register to attend the university despite the question of limited enrolment spaces, they said.
On the issue of scholarships, the students said they were angered over alleged financial exclusion of some students by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), a state funder of needy students’ academic studies.
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande announced on Monday that the NSFAS had no funds for new students at the moment, thereby infuriating the students who took to the streets on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the country’s universities have extended the registration period for the 2021 academic year to accommodate students who are having difficulties in getting funding from the NSFAS.
NM/jn/APA