South African university set ablaze in student protest

A university in South Africa is being evacuated and the campus shut indefinitely after protesting students torched buildings, destroying the administration building, a spokesman for the facility has said.

Koos Degenaar said an administration block that included a science centre at North-West University in Mahikeng was burned down on Wednesday night. Student protesters also set fire to a dormitory supervisor’s residence.

Degenaar said the violence started after a students representatives council meeting was disrupted by protesters. The situation escalated quickly as private security guards attempted to disperse the crowd using teargas and rubber bullets.

Images on social media show students injured after clashes with police and private security.

Credit: Michael Cost (Twitter: @MickyCost)