Weeks have gone by and the Wits protests are as intense as the first time EFF-led SRC members staged a sit-in inside the university’s finance building.
Wits protests: Bystander killed in student clashes
On Wednesday, the standoff between Fees Must Fall protesters and riot police summoned by the tertiary institution tilted into an all-out violent confrontation, with the uniformed officers allegedly leading the assault.
Wits SRC’s official Twitter account has been used to update social media on the events transpiring in the vicinity of the Braamfontein campus and already, reports have risen of police using live bullets against unarmed protesters.
An innocent bystander was captured on footage, as he laid unconscious on the ground with trickles of blood oozing out of his mouth. According to a breaking news report published by SABC News, the man was declared dead shortly after the video went viral on social media.
WARNING: The video you will see below contains GRAPHIC MATERIAL Viewers’ discretion is strongly advised.
CONFIRMED : POLICE SHOT AND KILLED CIVILIAN IN BRAAM AT WITS STUDENT PROTEST. COPS WERE SHOOTING AT EVERYONE AND ARRESTING EVERYONE IN THE PRECINCT. CIVILIAN WHO WAS NOT IN PROTEST PASSED AWAY https://t.co/jn8VvprMqN
— Bonga Makhanya (@BongaOfficial) March 10, 2021
BREAKING NEWS | One person has died after police fired rubber bullets at Wits University's protesting students at the Braamfontein campus. #WitsProtest pic.twitter.com/XpUeQkhCT6
— SABC News (@SABCNews) March 10, 2021
What’s the latest? – Are police using ‘live’ ammunition?
At this time, it is unclear if the allegations made by the protesters are true. It is still assumed that the riot police are using rubber bullets and other crowd control weaponry to quell the unrest.
These are the latest visuals we have sourced, on the current situation taking place in Johannesburg’s city centre:
[ PROTEST ACTION ] : WITS UNIVERSITY FEES PROTEST POLICE SHOOTING AT STUDENTS #Witsasinamali pic.twitter.com/9s6uUjpw2X
— Bonga Makhanya (@BongaOfficial) March 10, 2021
THEY WANT US WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS , THEY WANT US JAILED AND DEAD #Witsasinamali pic.twitter.com/xKyLnX4i6m
— Wits SRC (@Wits_SRC) March 10, 2021
