Images purportedly from the scene show rubber bullet casings.
Rhodes University. Photo: Rhodes University
Police allegedly opened fire on protesting students near the Rhodes University campus in Grahamstown, Eastern Cape, on Friday.
Multiple sources reported that students were protesting at a graduation venue when security officials, whom they believe were police, stepped in and allegedly opened fire. One protester told The Citizen that students ran from the scene, while others were dragged to police vans.
Another student said that the violence happened in front of graduation guests, while the ceremony continued.
A video of the incident was shared on social media, but has not been independently verified by The Citizen. A response from police on the shooting will be included once received.
In a video, smoke can be seen as students run in several directions. One student falls down, only to be picked up by police. In the opposite direction, two students can be seen being led into a van.
unarmed Rhodes University students are being shot at by SAPS right now ! some have been detained, others are injured . ‼️‼️‼️ pic.twitter.com/mbzoyMt9oH
– maka’Sponge (@LWavezzz) October 2, 2026
Other videos appear to show students being put into police vans.
A news alert, shared on campus, said: “At 8.45am, shots were fired both as a warning and at students.
“Two students were arrested, and the number is consistently increasing.
“The police are currently chasing students down from the monument while the graduation ceremony continues inside.”
It said the number of harmed and arrested students is unknown.
A later alert said police had called for reinforcements, and it was unclear if the ammunition used was rubber bullets or live.
Images purportedly from the scene show rubber bullet casings.
The university has not yet commented on the incident.
A court order was reportedly issued to stop students from protesting on campus, sparking this latest protest.
Students on campus told The Citizen that police had been patrolling the campus on Friday prior to the alleged shooting.
SRC speak out
The university’s Student Representative Council warned protesters against continuing.
“We understand that students are frustrated. We understand that students are angry. We also understand that these frustrations come from real concerns that deserve to be heard. However, we also want to remind students to consider the risks associated with continuing with protest action while the interim interdict remains in place.
“We are aware of calls for protest action to continue. The interim interdict remains in place and legally binds students to refrain from protest action. Continuing with protest action could have serious legal consequences for students and may place students in unnecessary danger.”
It encouraged university management to consider “the climate the university is in right now” and put the safety of students first. It also asked police to consider that students may not fully understand the implications of the interdict.
“Violence is never the answer.”
Protests on campus
Hundreds of students shut down academic activities at the university this week over a new debt recovery plan, which student leaders claim will punish those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The university has reportedly accumulated a total debt of R853 million since September 2026 and earlier this month told self-funded undergraduate students that they will need to settle at least 50% of their outstanding debt before they can register for next year.
Furthermore, self-funded students must sign an Acknowledgement of Debt and Agreement to Pay by Instalments (AoDAPI). This agreement requires students to pay at least R3000 per month to settle their debt, and they are rejecting it.
“All students in debt to the University, except for those funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas), are required to approach an institution that provides student loans, for example, Fundi, Student Hero or a financial institution, to secure a student loan,” said the notice.
Should a student lose funding during the academic year for reasons such as poor academic performance, the student will be considered self-funded.
The university’s Student Representative Council has challenged the new rules, declaring a shutdown on Tuesday. Their protest ran through the week.
Students going hungry
The university usually provides food vouchers during student protests, but because of the circumstances, it did not give them to on-campus students.
The SRC had to use its personal funds to feed those in need.
The university appealed to protesting students to allow essential staff onto campus to provide food and other basic services.
This is a developing story.
