The Walter Sisulu University (WSU) Commission of Inquiry has heard how tensions between students and management escalated over the enforcement of a controversial residence policy.
Testifying on Tuesday, student leader Amanda Dlamini told the commission that Residence Manager Manelisi Mampane strictly enforced Rule 18, which barred students of the opposite sex from visiting each other’s residences after 10pm.
Students argued the rule disrupted study groups and was outdated, but Dlamini said Mampane was “uncompromising,” creating a hostile environment that led students to bypass their SRC and confront him directly.
She alleged that during one confrontation, Mampane opened fire on students from his residence, injuring three, including Sisonke Mbolekwa, who later died.
Following the shooting, students retaliated by burning Mampane’s car and intensifying their protests, with university entrances blocked and media allowed in to cover the unrest.
The inquiry continues, with Advocate Bayethe Maswazi leading evidence.
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