One of South Africa’s most historic universities has suspended its activities following violent student unrest, which saw several buildings set on fire.
The University of Fort Hare said several campus buildings, including the main administrative and student affairs offices at its main Alice Campus, were torched in petrol-bomb attacks.
No injuries or deaths were reported, the university and the police said. But a student leader told state broadcaster SABC that two students were injured in clashes with security officers.
The unrest reportedly followed changes to the way students are governed. Students have also been demanding the removal of the university’s vice-chancellor.
The University of Fort Hare, located in Alice in the Eastern Cape, is one of South Africa’s oldest and most historically significant universities.
Founded in 1916, it is where many anti-apartheid activists and regional leaders who opposed colonial rule, such as South Africa’s Nelson Mandela and Zimbabwe’s late leader Robert Mugabe and Botswana’s Seretse Khama, studied and first engaged with politics.
Videos shared online showed plumes of smoke billowing and a large fire engulfing buildings at the university.
Vice-chancellor Prof Sakhela Buhlungu said in a statement that the “large-scale destruction of of property” showed that they were dealing with “much bigger issues with a significant component of sponsored violence and criminality”.
The university has ordered students to leave its premises by 1700 local time [1500 GMT] on Thursday.
It said the “actions of a few” had endangered the safety of the university community and disrupted its academic programme.
Police spokesperson Siphokazi Mawisa said protesting students had set four buildings at the university on fire and the situation was still “tense”.
No arrests has been made, the police said.
Despite being evicted from campus, students have vowed to continue their protests, local news outlet Newzroom Afrika reports.
Student leader Asonele Magwaxaza earlier told SABC that they were “angry… frustrated because they have been suppressed” by the management.
“The student governance has been suppressed and compromised… We have been writing to the council, to the management, but they are arrogant, they are not responding, they are not doing anything,” he said.
Education officials are said to be due to meet student leaders later on Thursday.
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