Update on incidents and restrictions on campus
- Wits University
Senior Executive Team update on incidents on Wits campus.
Dear Colleagues and Students
Academic programme
The academic programme continues today, Monday, 17 October 2016.
Incidents
Several fires were started in dustbins across the Braamfontein campuses on Friday evening and were extinguished by Protection Services. Several buildings were stoned and windows were smashed at the Matrix Building. Several roads were barricaded both on and off campus and they were cleared.
A security guard was assaulted outside the Men's Residence and his vehicle’s windows were broken. On two occasions, stun grenades and rubber bullets were used to disperse students.
This morning, students started two fires on public roads and at an intersection and a bus stop in Parktown. The police have controlled the situation and traffic is now flowing freely. We have reports of students trying to blockade the entrances to residences and in three cases tried to lock students into residences. All these issues have been resolved.
The University was alerted last night that a student who allegedly went missing yesterday. He was apparently located in the early hours of this morning. This matter is being investigated by Protection Services. The Office of the Dean of Students is working on bringing the student back to campus today.
Evening restrictions on campus
There have been multiple legitimate requests from students who need to access University facilities for study purposes after 10pm. The University will publish a list of learning areas and computer laboratories later today which will remain open after 10pm. Students will have to be in these venues before 10pm and will be escorted back to their residences by Protection Services thereafter. For all other areas, the restrictions will remain in place from 10pm until 6am.
All other special requests for students to be out of residences and walking on campus after 10pm must be channeled via the Registrar, Ms Carol Crosley via Carol.Crosley@wits.ac.za
All emergencies should be reported to (011) 717-4444.
Arrests
Three students will appear in court today. Two were arrested in Braamfontein on Friday night, while the third student was arrested in the early hours of Saturday morning. The student’s case has been postponed until tomorrow and he is to remain in custody.
Police entering residences
Please note that police are not allowed to enter residences unless it is to apprehend individuals involved in criminal activity. Going forward, all police officers are to be accompanied by Protection Services officials when entering any residence. All video footage is being regularly watched to monitor incidents in residences. Anyone who has any complaints about the excessive use of force by private security or Protection Services or the should report it to Mokgawa.Kobe@wits.ac.za or in the case of the police to the Independent Police Investigations Department (IPID).
Please report all incidents of violence and/or injuries to Protection Services as well. All emergencies should be reported via (011) 717-4444 – it is manned 24 hours.
Misinformation
There is much misinformation spreading on social media and we ask students and staff to be circumspect about information that is circulated without evidence. Please follow @Wits_News and @WitsUniveristy and www.facebook.com/witsuniversity or visit www.wits.ac.za for updates from Wits.
Thank you
SENIOR EXECUTIVE TEAM
17 OCTOBER 2016 (12:00)