#OutsourcingMustFall leader allegedly abducted
Leader of the #OutsourcingMustFall campaign, Vusi Mahlangu, is missing after he sent a text saying he might be kidnapped.
#OutsourcingMustFall campaign leader Vusi Mahlangu is missing believed to have been abducted, says Workers and Socialist Party (WASP) in a statement.
Mahlangu, who has led various #OutsourcingMustFall protests at universities across the country, was last seen leaving a house in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, on Tuesday morning, around 10:00, to attend a meeting.
“He never arrived at the meeting and his phone has been off,” said party spokesperson Mametlwe Sebei.
Mahlangu sent a text message to Sebei around 14:30 saying: “I am either kidnapped or arrested and I am bleeding… In a dark place at Mthatha, my phone is about to die.”
Sebei said Mahlangu told him he had been followed by a car the whole day, and mentioned ‘arrest’ but wasn’t sure if he was being followed by police.
Vusi Mahlangu's life may be in danger. #bringbackvusi
Media, please investigate.
All, please RT. pic.twitter.com/4BuoQ4WKFp
— Equal Education (@equal_education) March 29, 2016
But he suspected a security company contracted to supply guards to universities was involved, Sebei said adding this was speculation.
“What I know is he informed me he was removed from a taxi and forcibly placed in a car and taken to an unknown location where he was assaulted. We haven’t heard from him since Tuesday afternoon,” said Sebei.
Sebei confirmed Mahlangu had also accessed his WhatsApp and Facebook accounts since he last made contact with him.
“The strange thing is he is not reading our messages. It’s as if someone is checking his messages for him to see what we discuss in the chat group.”
The matter was reported to Madera police station.
Mahlangu led the campaign for the Umthatha’s Walter Sisulu University to scrap the outsourcing of security to companies such as Red Alert and Xhobani Security, WASP said.
“It is important for us at this time to secure the freedom and safe return of comrade Vusi to work out what has happened,” he said.
https://twitter.com/owamzee_/status/714883375203528705
Fearless activist, revered thinker & lucid orator cde Vusi Mahlangu is missing,shout if you know his whereabouts… pic.twitter.com/BlPwCtenMR
— Castro Ntobekó Ngobese (@castrongobese) March 29, 2016
Also read:
#OutsourcingMustFall protests continue
Workers threaten to shutdown metro, TUT
Unisa campuses closed again amid protests
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