Walter Sisulu University: Violence Demands Urgent Intervention

GOOD Statement by Kaden Arguile, GOOD National Youth Chairperson:

The GOOD Party is calling for an urgent, independent investigation into the escalating violence at Walter Sisulu University (WSU), following the tragic murder of Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Sinethemba Mpambane, who was reportedly gunned down at the institution’s entrance in Mthatha.

This is the second fatal shooting on or near the university grounds in just two months, the first being the killing of student Sisonke Mbolekwa during a campus protest in April. This pattern is deeply alarming, and it points to a breakdown in both safety protocols and institutional leadership.

Universities should be sanctuaries of thought, learning, and progress, not crime scenes. The brutal killing of a senior university official is not only a tragedy but also a direct threat to the integrity of higher education in South Africa.

We welcome the SAPS Commissioner’s decision to travel to Mthatha and urge him to go beyond a visit and immediately establish a high-level task team to investigate the recent killings, identify the root causes of the ongoing unrest, and ensure accountability.

We echo the sentiments of the Minister of Higher Education – students and staff cannot be expected to thrive in an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.

WSU needs decisive intervention – by law enforcement, the Department of Higher Education, and the university’s own leadership, to restore safety and rebuild trust.

GOOD reiterates that this cannot continue as protest as usual. But nor can it be business as usual for those in power.

GOOD Political Position: GOOD is a social democratic political party.

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