SHOTS FIRED TO DISPERSE PROTESTING LIMKOKWING STUDENTS

Students in song as others look on during the demonstration. (Pics: Thembinkosi Mavimbela)

MBABANE – Traffic, shopping and loitering was overshadowed by screams at Sidwashini as police fired shots to disperse protesting Limkokwing University students yesterday.

At least four students were left with serious injuries after the skirmish outside the Limkokwing University of Creative Technology (LUCT) gate.
According to eyewitnesses, about 200 students screamed and ran helter-skelter after police from the Operational Support Service Unit (OSSU) fired at least six shots in attempt to disperse the protesting students who were barred from coming within 100 metres of the university gate by the High Court. This was during the ongoing strike by students of the institution who were demonstrating near Ka-Sonny Shopping Complex at Sidwashini.

The protesting students ran like headless chickens at the first sound of gunshots. Some of them are said to have ran across the MR3 highway, forcing oncoming traffic to stop haphazardly. This was all in an effort to get cover on the other side of the public road. Others are said to have ran towards the Sidwashini market, while others ran towards Qobonga.

The riot police are said to have fired the shots after the resilient students marched towards the university’s gate, while chanting political songs and slogans.
The students were armed with only one baton and several sticks. The strike is believed to have started at about 6am near the shopping complex, with just a few students.

It gained momentum about four hours later as more students joined in.

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