VARSITY, COPS ILL-PREPARED FOR PROTEST

THE Walter Sisulu University (WSU) neglected to activate required mediation processes while private security personnel carried out unlawful crowd-control actions, and the SAPS used force that fell short of legal standards, resulting in 14 students being injured during a protest.

- NICOLA DANIELS

These are the findings of the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) contained in its final inquiry report into the protest and unrest at WSU, focusing on incidents on and around May 27, 2024.

The investigation drew on medical evidence, expert ballistics analysis, institutional submissions, and testimony from affected students, security personnel, the SAPS, and relevant oversight bodies. The protest began as a peaceful, rights-based demonstration following a memorandum delivered by students on 23 May 2024. Private security intervened the next day and fired rubber rounds and chemical agents at seated students. By 27 May, the protest had escalated and shifted toward the N2 highway, where students encountered SAPS tactical units that were not trained for public order policing.