By Thapelo Molefe
Walter Sisulu University (WSU) students have made it clear they do not want bail granted to the 54-year-old residence manager accused of fatally shooting student Sisonke Mbolekwa.
The suspect, identified as Manelisi Mampane, appeared briefly in the Mthatha Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday, where it was confirmed that his bail application would be heard on 2 May.
He remains in custody and is facing charges of murder and attempted murder after allegedly opening fire on a group of students during a protest at WSU’s Mthatha campus.
During the court proceedings, it was revealed that the firearm used in the shooting was not licensed.
According to the evidence, the weapon was illegally obtained by the residence manager and used to shoot three students, killing one and injuring two others.
One of the students remains in a critical condition in hospital with a bullet in his waist.
Speaking on Tuesday, WSU Students Representative Council (SRC) leader Themba Zikhali reiterated the students’ stance against bail for the accused.
“As Walter Sisulu students, we are very clear with the mandate that saying we don’t need [him] in our society anymore. We want him to rot in jail and justice must prevail, we are calling for no bail,” Zikhali said.
“It’s a very emotional day for everyone because Sisonke was a comrade. We were living with him on a daily basis, so to see that really he’s gone, it’s very emotional to us, but we have to show strength and resilience towards the situation.”
Institutional Student Representative Council president Abalungile Madikizela also stressed that the accused should remain behind bars
“Firstly, I am relieved with the turnout that we are seeing today of people who are here to support the family of Sisonke in seeking justice. It goes to show that what has happened in the university is not being taken lightly by the student community as well as community members who have decided to show up,” she said.
“From our view as students we believe that with everything that has happened, he has not shown any indication that he regrets what has happened or that it was a mistake because if that was the case, he would have handed himself over to the police. But what happened is that the police had to chase him up and down the country begging him to hand himself over for his actions.”
The shooting occurred during a protest by students who had reportedly stormed the manager’s on-campus home to raise concerns about poor living conditions in university residences accredited by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme.
Students cited cracked walls, broken ceilings and shattered tiles as some of the issues.
During the confrontation, the residence manager allegedly fired into the crowd. His vehicle was also reportedly set alight during the incident.
The magistrate said that the shooting was being treated as a domestic violence matter, and barred the media from attending the proceedings.
However, several students gathered outside the court building, chanting slogans and holding placards demanding justice.
An independent investigation, led by retired Justice Chris Jafta and a team of legal experts, is currently underway to examine the events that led to the student’s death and to determine whether there were any failures in how the university handled the situation.
Mampane remains in custody.
INSIDE EDUCATION
