THE family of slain Durban University of Technology (DUT) student, Mlungisi Madonsela, expressed their shock that students who protested with Madonsela last week on the university campus where he was shot and killed allegedly by campus security, were arrested but the killers were not.
Speaking at the memorial service at Ritson Hall on the DUT campus, Xolani Ncanana, uncle of the third year student told the packed hall of mourners:
“We are pleading with the University and the police to bring the perpetrators to book. We also urge students to avail themselves when the times comes for them to give evidence in court. We have been inundated with calls, visits from various political parties, organizations and the University, we are grateful for that. However, we would like to say to the media to please give us space to grieve, we are also in the dark as to what happened to Mlungisi. It came as shock to us when we learnt that his fellow comrades were arrested even though they are not responsible for his death, while people who killed him are still outside.”
Speaker after speaker told the crowd gathered in the hall, of Madonsela’s character.
“He was a loving person. We met in 2017 as first years and we just clicked. I want justice to be served [for my] friend. Classes must not be allowed to start before the killers are brought to book,” said his friend Aduduzo Jali.
ALSO READ: VIDEO: Memorial service for slain DUT student underway
Meanwhile, in a scene that was similar to the silent protest which was staged against former president Jacob Zuma during the announcement of the 2016 election results, Durban University of Technology (DUT) vice-chancellor Prof Thandwa Mthembu, who was the last speaker at the service, was forced to leave the stage as students stood in front of the stage, carrying placards with messages such as “DUT stop protecting killers”, “Rest in power” and “Our only sin is being black”.
“We are here and our hearts are bleeding because one of our own is dead, because the ANC and by extension one of its deployees decided to murder him,” said EFF KZN chairperson Vusi Khoza. The ANC and government lied, they promised us free education and it’s not free. If there was free education Mlungisi would be alive and at school.”
Madonsela will be buried on Thursday at Jozini.
DUT management announced in a press release on Wednesday morning that it had considered a recommendation from the Student Representative Council (SRC) to resume lectures and agreed that the academic programme would resume on Monday, 18 February 2019. Each faculty and academic department will imprment a catch-up programme, taking into account the time lost during the tragic events that took place last week.
Watch videos of the memorial service on the Berea Mail YouTube site https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bygbk4mbzQ
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