51 WSU students out on bail after violent protests

Fifty-one Walter Sisulu University students have been released on bail following their arrest during a spate of violent protests on its East London campus, the university said on Wednesday.

University spokesperson Yonela Tukwayo said it was not clear who had paid for their bail after they appeared in court on Tuesday morning.

They spent Monday night in jail.

Police charged them with public violence and public disturbance. The university had not pressed any charges against the group, she said.

East London police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Mtati Tana could not immediately provide the date of their next court appearance.

Students brought the Buffalo City campus to a halt last week and blockaded entrances.

Last Friday, the Student Representative Council handed a list of demands to the executive.

"They put down their demands and they said that they wanted every single one of their demands met," Tukwayo said.

These included having a new residence be built.

"Obviously that goes into hundreds of millions of rands. It's projects that you need to plan for way in advance, look for financial support and sponsors, and then you build. So some of those demands we were not able to meet."

During a meeting earlier on Wednesday, students undertook to allow workers to return to their jobs on Thursday, and promised go back to classes on Monday, Tukwayo said.

Source News 24