Port Elizabeth – Police are at the Nelson Mandela University South Campus after shots were fired at a journalist covering the student protests on Wednesday morning.
The shooting occurred at about 11:00 when a small group of students continued to barricade access to the campus, following the violent attack on Monday night, October 2, in which one student was raped and another stabbed.
READ: NMU student raped, another stabbed
Police spokesperson, Priscilla Naidu, said four men had been travelling in a Ford Ranger and had tried to enter the university’s south campus.
“The vehicle forced its way into the campus but did not go past the boom gate. The vehicle then made a u-turn and, as the vehicle was driving out, shots were fired at a freelance ENCA journalist who was covering the protest action.”
The cameraman had been covering the protests and had been standing with a group of students that he was interviewing at the time.
In a short video of the incident posted on Twitter, the Ranger can be seen driving past students and five shots fired in rapid succession can be heard.
Naidu said the vehicle registration had been circulated, and the vehicle was spotted on the M4 travelling away from the university. She said police had managed to stop the vehicle.
“Four suspects have been arrested and one firearm was recovered, which was licensed to the driver.”
Naidu said the men, aged between 27 and 35, had been positively linked to an earlier incident in Central where they had pointed a firearm at another driver.
Naidu said the men were facing charges of pointing of a firearm, attempted murder and the discharging of a firearm.
On Tuesday, students barricaded access to the North and South Campuses in protest over the lacklustre security on campuses.
Earlier on Wednesday, NMU said operations at the university had not fully resumed, due to ongoing student unhappiness.
“Operations have not been able to fully resume at Nelson Mandela University today as a result of ongoing student unhappiness following the rape and stabbing of two students at Second Avenue Campus on Monday evening,” the university said on their Facebook page.
“While the university has addressed all immediate security issues, negotiation with the aggrieved students is continuing. Additional measures are also being put in place to ensure the earliest resumption of operations.”
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Article source: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/shots-fired-at-journalist-outside-nmu-20171004