CLOSED SCU STUDENTS, COPS ‘THREATEN TO KILL EACH OTHER’

MBABANE - Swaziland Christian University (SCU) students and police exchange heated words during a march by SCU staff and students to government ministries yesterday. A placard directed to Minister of Education and Training Phineas Magagula. (Pic: Thembin

MBABANE – Police and students have threatened to kill each other. This comes after threats were at some point the order of the day during a march organised by the Swaziland Christian University staff and students yesterday. The march saw about 150 students and SCU employees walk to the Ministry of Education and Training.

Tensions reached boiling point after a police officer allegedly threatened students with death if they dared march to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. This was after the SCU staff had gone to a brief meeting with the Director of Education Dr Sibongile Mntshali, and Schools Manager Macanjana Motsa.

“Where is our safety if police tell us that kutophuma sidvumbu (someone will die)?” wondered the SCU Student Representative Council Vice President Thula Mtetwa.
In an interview, Mtetwa narrated that they were ready to pay with their blood to have the institution re-opened. He opined that maybe it was time they mobilised other students to join them to respond to the threats made by the officer. He wondered where they would run to for assistance if law enforcers threatened them.

“Njengebafundzi natsi sitokhipha sidvumbu; sesibheje ngengati since the police are walking all over our rights,” Mtetwa said.
This can be translated to mean that, it will be an eye for an eye and students would fight to the bitter end.

A verbal showdown ensued by the Swaziland Meteorological Services Department when about 10 police officers blocked students from marching to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. The officers told the students that their marching application allowed them to go as far as the Ministry of Education and Training. The students argued that they were not marching but simply going to that ministry to deliver a petition to the minister.

The police heard none of that as they told them that no student would be allowed to take a step further than Swaziland Meteorological Services Department. They ordered the students to return to the Ministry of Education and Training entrance. The irate students ignored the warning and engaged in a heated confrontation with the police, demanding that they be allowed to go to their planned destination.

“Why are you not blocking other pedestrians who are walking by; do they also have permits to use the road?” the students asked officers.
Students believed that the police were depriving them of their freedom of movement, something which the officers disputed.

Post your comment

Your name:

Your e-mail address:

Add your comments:

Please enter the code you see in the image:

Image:

Code: