Forty-nine students were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly setting
fire to one of the residences at the Mafikeng Campus of the North West
University, police said.
“Firefighters were called but the students started throwing stones
at them while they tried to contain the fire,” said spokesman
Superintendent Lesego Metsi.
Police used rubber bullets to disperse them and they ran to their hostel rooms.
Security guards at the university went to their rooms to arrest them.
Four students were injured in the process and taken to hospital for treatment.
They were discharged and arrested together with 45 others.
All were charged with malicious damage to property and arson.
Meanwhile the SABC reported that all residences on the campus had been closed and students were asked to leave.
More than 2000 lived on the campus.
Students want vice chancellor Dan Mofokeng to resign, claiming he is incompetent.
On Tuesday two students were arrested after they allegedly set fire
to a computer lab and the administration building at the university.
“They also shattered windows and tried to petrol bomb an automated
teller machine at the campus, but did not succeed,” said Metsi.
