Johannesburg - The University of Fort Hare has launched an investigation and 12 University of Fort Hare students are due to appear in the Alice Magistrate's Court on Tuesday (June 6), on charges of malicious damage to property, housebreaking, and theft (business premises).
This comes as part of a university building was set on fire allegedly by protesting students in a bid to halt exams from taking place from Monday.
The university said exams will go ahead as scheduled and security had been beefed up.
According to some students, the reason for the protest was that the time-table was too congested.
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Majola Nkohli confirmed that 12 students were arrested for malicious damage to property and burglary after a group of students allegedly looted a cafeteria and damaged several properties at the Alice campus on Sunday night.
Nkohli said:“ On Sunday, June 4, 2023, around 20:20, police were summoned to a complaint of a violent protest at the University of Fort Hare in Alice.”
"At the scene, police arrested 12 students for malicious damage to property and burglary after the university examination hall was slightly damaged and its furniture was removed and torched just outside the hall.
“ It is further said that a mob then went amok and damaged several surveillance camera systems and also looted the institution's cafeteria (shop). It is believed that the mayhem started following an internal dispute about examinations," said Nkohli.
The suspects are aged between 19 and 22.
The violence left some South Africans questioning what type of children were being raised if students were capable of causing such damage to property.
These are criminal acts. Put them in jail. Why can't we just put criminals away? Why are ppl allowed to wreck everything with impunity? Surely there is camera footage, witnesses etc.
— theDunnonator 📈📉💰💸 (@Dunstan26520717) June 5, 2023
Turns our Fort Hare students didn't want to write exams...so they burnt one of the exams halls. What kind of children do you people bring up? Is this plan now, just burn everything if shit doesn't go your way? pic.twitter.com/iqUedTYWGW
— Ganymede 🇿🇦🏳️🌈🇺🇦 (@ganymedeworld) June 5, 2023
The Star