Cape Town - Parliament says it will summon a private security company to appear before the committee on higher education and training following the fatal shooting at Durban University of Technology (DUT).
According to a statement released by the university, students were protesting outside the university’s Steve Biko campus on Tuesday.
The student who is believed to be a member of the EFF student command, died while receiving medical attention at City Hospital in Durban.
Committee chairperson Connie September said: “The committee calls for a thorough investigation into the cause of the death of the student, especially the use of live ammunition and who gave the order to shoot. The private security regulatory body should also investigate improved methods of controlling students when they protest on campuses.”
The committee said it will inform the Portfolio Committee on Police to investigate security companies’ capacity to control crowds and to determine if these companies overstep their mandate, in relation to the powers and responsibilities of the police.
September said the committee would ask private security companies to appear before Parliament to account for their actions.
“The committee calls upon university councils, the Department of Higher Education and Training and all student bodies to seek solutions in a manner that will allow a peaceful settlement. University campuses cannot become war zones in this new democracy and the committee welcomes initiatives to engage students to find solutions,” said September.
Lessons were suspended at DUT on Tuesday and Wednesday, although the actual campus remained open.