Roma – National University of Lesotho (NUL) Student Representative council Minister of justice has written a letter to management of the school, demanding for suspension of the security officer who was seen assaulting a student in a video which went viral on social media this week.
NUL students embarked on-a strike on 15 May 2024 evening in which they burned Netherlands hall, security guard house and Students Representative Council (SRC) office. Students required to be given revision week prior to examinations which will extend examinations until early June where they would get their monthly stipend.
National University of Lesotho Student Representative Council (SRC) president Tumo Tsanyane, confirmed that indeed they want that security guard who was seen assaulting the student suspended.
“we want that security guard seen assaulting the student suspended, This is matter of different opinions, the students made the strike because they want June allowance, however according to school calendar they should be done writing exams on 26 May not June so there is no need for them to get June allowance,” Tumo noted.
According to the letter, the viral video explicitly shows that three security officers hand cuffing the same student amongst the three, one security officer is seen assaulting unnecessarily that student after the process of handcuffing.
SRC Minister of Justice States that they have constitutional mandate of seeing the furtherance of human or student union rights in the university; moreover they do not just condemn the actions of this officers but also call for appropriate sanction being suspension.
The letter explains that National University Lesotho Student Handbook 2018/2019 read with Student Handbook 2022-2023 section 8 the students are to be treated with respect and courtesy by University officials and other students.
Furthermore the presence of the security officers in the campus is to protect everyone not to assault anyone.
SRC Minister of Justice noted there was no necessary immediate action that compelled the security officer to have acted that way. Subsequently there is a basic breach of contract by the subordinate and SRC calls for his immediate suspension. SRC states that if this matter is not resolved as they demand, they have no choice but to resort to litigation which is costly.
