By Mpumzi Mshweshwe
A 54-year-old man has been arrested and charged with murder and attempted murder following a shooting that claimed the life of one student and injured two others at the Walter Sisulu University Mthatha Campus. The arrest came soon after the university decided to close the campus and conduct learning and teaching online. The closure only affected the Mthatha campus but not the other campuses of the university
The police said the unnamed suspect is expected to appear in the Mthatha Magistrate’s court on 22 April. His named has not been revealed until he had appeared in court. “While this arrest is a critical step, the investigation remains active. No further details will be released at this time to preserve the integrity of the case. Updates will be provided as appropriate,” SAPS said.
Walter Sisulu University has decided to close the Mthatha campus, stemming from the recent shooting that resulted in a student’s death and injury to at least two others. It’s the second time this year that the university closed due to student protests, but this time around, the university shut down its main campus and has shifted teaching and learning to digital, with classes happening online. The change came after the university held an emergency meeting on Wednesday.
The University Council received a report from the Executive Management and the Student Representative Council (SRC) concerning the events of April 15 which led to the death of a student, Sisonke Mbolekwa. The incident also resulted in two other students suffering injuries after allegedly being shot by a university residence manager, but the wounded students had since been discharged from the hospital.
Earlier, the university said Mbolekwa was not a registered student at the university, but had since clarified the matter to say in fact he was a student. In a statement, the WSU Council said that Mbolekwa was a registered student at the University for 2023 and 2024, studying a degree for Bachelor of Education. “Owing to a lack of funding Sisonke could not yet register for 2025, but in March 2025 he paid the required minimum initial payment with the intention to register,” the statement said.
Mbolekwa’s status as a student has been a contentious talking point, with even The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) saying he was not a student. The department, after receiving a report from the university, reversed its statement to confirm that in fact he was registered student. DHET Minister Dr Nobuhle Pamela Nkabane has condemned the violent protests at the Mthatha Campus. “We have been observing throughout our institutions that there is an emergence of weaponing and militarization of our campuses. “As the department, what we are working on now is to review our safety protocols that are going to assist us in strengthening our frameworks or safety frameworks as we move forward,” Nkabane said.
At the emergency meeting that took place on Wednesday, the SRC reported the underlying grievances of the students. Among the students’ grievances was the lack of appliances such as stoves, kettles and laundry equipment at their residences. They also complained about the alleged unbecoming conduct of the security personnel from a company that was contracted by the university at the Mthatha Campus. The security company reportedly used excessive force and violence against students during protests. WSU has resolved to appoint a new security company,
WSU had decided to temporarily closed the Mthatha Campus, with teaching and learning conducted online. But other campuses have not been affected by the closures and will continue to operate as usual. The university also condemned the violence that occurred at the campus. “We condemn the emerging culture of intolerance, intimidation and violence. The Constitution protects everyone’s rights to be free from all forms of violence, from either public or private sectors”, said the University’s Council.
An independent investigation, led by the retired Constitutional Court Justice Chris Jafta who will be assisted by two advocates and an attorney, will be appointed by the Registrar on behalf of the Council. – NewsSA_Online