Mthatha campus erupts as students rally against bail for accused in deadly protest shooting
'(Manelisi) Mampane should have stayed in jail for the rest of his life because the child that he killed will not come back,' said a student.
Students at Walter Sisulu University and their parents are protesting at the university's Mthatha campus against the release of residence manager Manelisi Mampane (54), who is accused of shooting dead Sisonke Mbolekwa (24) and injuring two students during a protest in April over housing conditions.
Mampane was arrested on 17 April 2025 in Mthatha. He has been charged with murder and attempted murder, and was released on bail of R10,000 at Mthatha Magistrate's Court on Tuesday, 3 June 2025. This has led to anger and frustration for students and their parents. According to the students, Mampane should have stayed in prison, and bail should not have been granted.
'Mampane should have stayed in jail for the rest of his life because the child that he killed will not come back,' said a student at the protest who wished to remain anonymous.
Ayabonga Ndzumo, the mother of Lizwa Ndzumo, one of the two students who were shot and injured, told Daily Maverick that she had also joined the protest, and that the police were shooting teargas at them.
The spokesperson for the Mbolekwa family, Ncedo Kolanisi, who spoke with Newzroom Afrika on Tuesday, said: 'We are shocked; we saw signs of the magistrate being biased. My suspicions are certain fans of the accused have got to him… He ignored that Lizwa cannot move freely as a student of Walter Sisulu..,' said Kolanisi.
Another student at the university, Oneltiha Mbonana, told Daily Maverick that Mampane should not have received bail.
'…Now students decided to protest and close the school; they got arrested or died. This is a court matter and students choose to close the N2,' said Mbonana.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) has deployed police to the institution, and three students have been arrested, and they will be facing charges of public violence, damage to infrastructure and damage to property.
'The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the Eastern Cape, Major-General Thandiswa Kupiso, stated: 'We appeal for calm as we patiently allow legal processes to unfold. We encourage those who are aggrieved to channel grievances through lawful avenues.' Major-General Kupiso appealed to the students to honor the victim's memory through constructive, non-violent means, ' read an SAPS media statement released on Wednesday morning.
According to SAPS Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana the murder investigation remained active, had been prioritised, and was ongoing. The SAPS said it would continue to collaborate closely with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) to pursue justice through legal channels.
The protest is ongoing. Daily Maverick reached out to Walter Sisulu University for comment, and we will update the article once this is received or more information is available. DM
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
32 minutes ago
- The Citizen
Bribe-taking NC police officer sentenced to six years
Ex-constable Johannes Shuping was sentenced to six years for soliciting bribes to tamper with a police docket. The Kuruman Regional Court in Northern Cape has sentenced a former police officer to six years' imprisonment for soliciting R10 000 to make a court docket disappear. Ex-constable Johannes Shuping was sentenced after the court convicted him on two counts of corruption from an incident that dates back to 2018. Shuping, then a detective at Kathu police station, re-arrested the complainant, Buti Moepadira, despite his case already being before the court. Former Saps officer jailed for corruption After Shuping arrested Moepadira, the accused offered to 'make the docket disappear' in exchange for R11 000. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) regional spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said the complainant was detained at the Kathu police station due to lack of accommodation in Kuruman. ALSO READ: Police sergeant abuses power, gets 20 years for raping victim inside police station While in detention, Shuping allowed Moepadira to use his cellphone to arrange the payment. 'A R6 000 cash payment was delivered to the accused by the complainant's brother. Shuping continued to demand the outstanding R5 000, prompting Moepadira to report the matter to the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (the Hawks),' Senokoatsane said. In response, the investigating officer launched a sting operation using marked banknotes, as permitted by Section 252A of the Criminal Procedure Act. Caught in Hawks sting after demanding R11k bribe During the operation, Moepadira's brother handed over the remaining R4 000 to the accused. Although the former officer fled the scene, police arrested him a week later at his workplace. 'At the time of his arrest, he was found in possession of marked R200 notes, which matched the serial numbers recorded during the operation,' Senokoatsane said. ALSO READ: Bodies of three missing constables identified by families In aggravation of the sentence, Prosecutor Kagontle Redemption Barnett argued that Shuping had grossly abused his position of authority and violated the public trust. As a law enforcement official, he had a duty to uphold the law, but he chose to violate both the Constitution and his oath. A severe punishment will deter similar misconduct and help restore public confidence in the criminal justice system, Barnett emphasised. Six year direct imprisonment The Kuruman Regional Court agreed and sentenced Shuping to six years' direct imprisonment on each count. The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently, resulting in an effective six-year prison term. The NPA welcomed the conviction and sentence. ALSO READ: Drunken argument over being called 'inkwenkwe' ends in cop getting 15 years for murder 'This outcome reaffirms that no one is above the law and underscores the importance of protecting the integrity of the criminal justice system by holding those who abuse their power accountable,' Senokoatsane said.
TimesLIVE
an hour ago
- TimesLIVE
Former constable sentenced to six years for corruption
The Kuruman regional court in the Northern Cape on Friday sentenced former police constable Johannes Shuping to six years' imprisonment after convicting him of corruption. The conviction on two counts of corruption involved R10,000 that Shuping solicited from a member of the public. 'The charges relate to a 2018 incident in which Shuping, then a detective at Kathu police station, rearrested the complainant, Buti Moepadira, despite the case already being before the court,' National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mojalefa Senokoatsane said. After his arrest, Shuping offered to 'make the docket disappear' in exchange for a payment of R11,000. 'Moepadira, who was detained at Kathu police station due to a lack of accommodation in Kuruman, was allowed by Shuping to use his cellphone to arrange the payment. A R6,000 cash payment was delivered to the accused by the complainant's brother.' Shuping continued to demand the outstanding R5,000, prompting Moepadira to report the matter to the Hawks. 'A sting operation was then conducted using marked banknotes provided by the investigating officer. During the operation, the complainant's brother handed over the remaining R4,000 to the accused. Shuping fled the scene but was arrested a week later at his workplace.' At the time of his arrest, he was found in possession of marked R200 notes, which matched the serial numbers recorded during the operation. Prosecutor Kagontle Redemption Barnett took over the case after the original prosecutor was appointed to the bench. In aggravation of sentence, she argued that Shuping had grossly abused his position of authority and violated public trust. As a law enforcement officer, he was duty-bound to uphold the law, but instead chose to betray his oath and the constitution. Barnett emphasised that a strong sentence would deter similar conduct and reinforce public confidence in the criminal justice system. The court concurred and sentenced Shuping to six years' imprisonment on each count, with the sentences ordered to run concurrently. 'The NPA welcomes the conviction and sentence. This outcome reaffirms that no one is above the law and underscores the importance of protecting the integrity of the criminal justice system by holding those who abuse their power accountable,' Senokoatsane said.
IOL News
4 hours ago
- IOL News
Man sentenced to four years for impersonating attorney and defrauding client
Doctor Sobetha has been sentenced for impersonating an attorney. The Bethal Magistrate's Court in Mpumalanga has sentenced a 32-year-old man to four years in prison for impersonating a lawyer and defrauding a client of R40,000. The sentence, which was handed down on Thursday, includes an option for Doctor Sobetha to pay a fine of R20,000. Provincial spokesperson, Lieutenant-Colonel Magonseni Nkosi, detailed how Sobetha had perpetrated this scam back in 2019, when he attempted to file a bail application on behalf of a client facing murder charges. During the court proceedings at that time, Nkosi noted that the state prosecutor quickly became suspicious of Sobetha's arguments. He was requested to prove before the court that indeed he was a legal practitioner but failed to produce such proof. "The Secunda based Serious Organised Crime Investigation members that were in court attended and an arrest was affected. The matter was referred to the Hawks Secunda based Serious Commercial Crime Investigation for further investigation," said Nkosi. Sobetha was granted bail in 2024, and then went on the run.
