Student demands for affordable education hit fever pitch as thousands took part in protests For much of Wednesday, I watched students being threatened, pepper-sprayed and intimidated by private security guards at the University of Johannesburg - not realising that I, too, would soon be on the receiving end of their heavy-handed antics.Amid rumours that UJ students were planning to mobilise on Wednesday, some media colleagues and I managed to get onto the Auckland Park Kingsway campus, where graduation ceremonies for law students were taking place.We looked around to see if any #FeesMustFall activists were gathering, but private security guards were quick to disperse any attempts by students to gather and sing songs.story_article_left1More than once, the guards pepper-sprayed students and one of my colleagues, and threatened to spray any bystanders filming them.They chased us and the students off campus, with some chasing students into Westdene Park. We followed because at that point the guards had gone beyond their mandate to protect university property.Rocks flew between the students and guards, but this died down when the police arrived.That afternoon, we followed students as they peacefully marched to the main campus. When they got there, the gates were closed. Behind the gates were 10 to 20 security guards with shields.The students decided to march to the Doornfontein campus. Police agreed to lead them, if they were disciplined. They arrived to find the same guards waiting , armed with shields, batons, sticks and rocks.Suddenly, the possibility of violence was heightened as students were adamant to be let in. One student leader pulled at the gate, shouting to be let in. More students stepped forward, prompting the guards to rush out and attack students and journalists.One of my colleagues was pepper-sprayed and hit over the head and in the stomach with what appeared to be a baton.Another was pepper-sprayed because he refused to stop filming on his cellphone.full_story_image_hright1The attack caught police off guard. Students retreated toJoe Slovo Drive, throwing rocks and bottles. A group of us made our way to the Joe Slovo bridge, thinking we would be safer on higher ground. But the guards chased the students. Protesters were attacked at a petrol station around the corner.A group of us were approached by guards. They threw stones, rocks - whatever they could lay their hands on - at us, ignoring our shouts of "We're media, we're media".They surrounded me and five other journalists, and some students. The guards, holding sticks and rocks, asked who the media were and ordered us to sit down. We obeyed, bar one colleague, who refused. A guard grabbed him by the throat and he was struck on the head .The guards were agitated and aggressive, and struck a female photographer in the face with a baton. They sprayed pepper spray over the group, and hit other journalists.full_story_image_hleft2One of the guards hit me on the head with his hand. I was stunned, but he had moved away before I could respond.Moments later he grabbed my camera and asked: "What is this? Give it to me." I held on, and luckily he let go .It was unclear what the reason for the attack was. Perhaps they blamed the media for the clashes, or for their injuries. Maybe they were agitated that they could be identified after assaulting students and reporters, and even throwing rocks at police.But they were very hostile. After a few of us were hit, they let us go. We hurried away, checking if everyone was OK. Shaken, we made our way to other journalists, who were with the police.sub_head_start Security role in doubt sub_head_endStudents were dragged, pepper-sprayed, beaten with batons and had rocks thrown at them during #FeesMustFall protests this week.Some women at the University of Johannesburg said they had been threatened with rape by private security guards.A 22-year-old honours student , who did not want to be named, said. "All my friends have been physically handled. I haven't. I've only been intimidated, with them saying: 'We'll rape you, we'll show you who's the man around here.'"The fiercest clashes at UJ were on Wednesday.full_story_image_hright3UJ spokeswoman Kaamini Reddy said security guards on campus had been instructed to disperse any gatherings after the university obtained a court interdict. She said students had to get permission if they wanted to gather.Mpho Mofikoe, deputy director of the Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority , said private security guards were not trained to control crowds. This was up to the police .Wahl Bartmann, CEO of the Fidelity Security Group, whose guards were at the forefront of the clashes at UJ, said: "These guys are trained. They are registered with PSIRA, they use minimum force and violence.full_story_image_hleft4"There are no rubber bullets or pepper spray we hand out to the people."Responding to questions about his guards throwing rocks at students, he said: "No, I don't know. You have to bring that proof to us. The information I have is that it didn't take place. I wasn't on the premises. If it happened, we'll investigate it."UJ journalism professor Jane Duncan said private security guards were "clearly ill-trained for this kind of policing, so they land up simply running amok"...