March turns nasty as Limpopo students vent anger on suspected criminal

Chaos erupted outside the University of Limpopo campus in Mankweng as an angry group of students chased a suspected criminal down the streets on Tuesday.

The incident happened shortly after students marched to the Mankweng police station demanding to be protected from rapists and robbers. The march was called after one female student was allegedly abducted from her off-campus room while two others were apparently hospitalised after being attacked.

Student leaders from various political formations handed over a memorandum of demands to acting station commander Jonathan Mathabatha.

• University rapist gets long jail sentencesA rapist who targeted off-campus students of the University of Limpopo by entering their rooms‚ raping them and stealing their property has been jailed for five counts of rape and robbery. 

While addressing the crowd that had gathered outside the police station‚SRC deputy president Given Malatji said they would proceed to deal with suspected nyaope users and criminals who were terrorising students.

Later the group of over 200 students arrived outside one of the campus gates situated near the Mankweng shopping complex.

• Suspects terrorising off-campus students in Limpopo nabbedPolice have arrested two suspects who have allegedly been terrorising University of Limpopo students staying outside the campus in Mankweng. 

Chaos broke out when the students apprehended a man they identified as one of the suspected criminals.

Some students could be seen beating the man over the head with their hands. A chase ensued when the man tried to escape the angry crowd. The man found refuge inside a police vehicle which had just arrived on the scene.

Meanwhile some businesses and retail shops closed because of the tension.

-TMG Digital/Sowetan