UJ student Mphahlele Phasoane Mpho laying on the ground at his graduation ceremony | Image: Facebook
A recent graduate of the University of Johannesburg (UJ), and former chairperson of the EFF student command at the university’s Soweto Campus, Mpho Phasoane Mphahlele has accused the institution’s vice-chancellor and principal Tshilidzi Marwala of “unleashing bouncers” on him on his graduation day for allegedly insulting the institution on Facebook.
Mphahlele made these claims and more on social media where he also shared images of himself in his official graduation attire.
Fellow students and supporters of Mphahlele have since circulated two videos which were reportedly taken during and after his run-in with UJ security.
In one video, filmed from a distance, a group of indistinguishable figures can be seen in an altercation.
In another video, an unconscious Mphahlele can be seen laying on the ground as his family prays for him and tries to revive him.
In another post, he alleges his mother was “pepper sprayed until she fainted” and lost her handbag as a result.
In response to Mphahlele’s allegations, UJ stated “building up to the graduation ceremony on Wednesday, 17 April 2019, the University learnt of the threats which Mr Mpho Phasoane Mphahlele, who was due to graduate at the very same session, was making. The threats were about intensifying a planned action to disrupt the graduation ceremony.”
If Mphahlele alleged disruption had gone ahead as planned, this would have been the second time a 2019 graduation ceremony had been disrupted.
Earlier this month, Kamvelihle Goba made headlines with the anti-racism protest he staged after he was called to the stage to receive his degree.
“Closer to the day of the graduation ceremony, on Tuesday, 16 April 2019, the threat of disruption escalated to be the threat of violence, harm to persons and property,” alleged the University in relation to Mphahlele.
The institution went on to explain that they decided to apply strict access control to campus and the venue of the graduations to ensure that every person and property on the premises was safe and secure.
“It is worth noting that just before the graduation session could start, Mr Mphahlele had been demonstrating at the venue and make it clear that he was not prepared to heed University’s call for him to cooperate and conduct himself in accordance with the expected behaviour and respect for others and institutional regulations,” added UJ.
WATCH: UJ student stages anti-racism protest during graduation ceremony
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