Johannesburg - A Catholic priest who was shot with rubber bullets during the #FeesMustFall protests at Wits University on Monday has been released from hospital, but is still in shock.
Father Graham Pugin received stitches to his face, which was badly swollen and bruised, said Father Russel Pollitt, director of the Jesuit Institute of South Africa.
One of Pugin's teeth was also chipped by the rubber bullets.
“He is back at the church, but still in shock at the events which unfolded,” said Pollitt.
He said Pugin had been standing at the gates of the church property to prevent both police and students who were carrying weapons, from entering after the protest at Wits University's Braamfontein campus spilled out into the streets.
“The church is a place of sanctuary where anyone is welcome, except for people brandishing sticks or any other weapon. That remains the case today,” he said.
Footage of Pugin being hit was circulating on social media.
Earlier, Jesuit Father Graham Pugin faces down police in front of Holy Trinity Church. (from @NdlovuLawrence) pic.twitter.com/cyLTJ1tgk4
— James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) October 11, 2016
Pollitt added that Pugin had been instrumental in negotiations between all the parties.
Pollitt said the Vatican’s ambassador Peter Wells had called twice to find out if Pugin was okay.
In the meantime, South African Catholic bishops have said #FeesMustFall should not turn into Marikana.
As student protests continue around the campaign, Bishop Abel Gabuza, chairperson of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) Justice and Peace Commission, has appealed to both student protestors at all campuses and the police to exercise restraint and ensure that #FeesMustFall does not result in loss of lives.
“We do not want the situation of Marikana to repeat itself in this context. The death of even one student would be one too many. As protests continue on our campuses, we appeal to both the students and the police to exercise restraint and a sense of ethical responsibility,” he said.
Bishop Gabuza has also asked the students to guard against political capture of their campaign.
“They should not allow their campaign to be hijacked by political parties and their narrow political interests. Such a development, and the subsequent political polarisation around the campaign, would play into the hands of those who wish to discredit the genuine concerns behind the fees campaign.”
The bishop has also joined other voices in condemning the violence and destruction of property that have at times characterised the fees campaign.
At the same time, he has indicated that “the outpouring of anger that we see in some of the students is understandable”.
“It speaks to the level of social trauma and deep frustration that the poor have cumulatively and collectively suffered over the years while attempting to access quality learning within an education system that continues to be unequal and unjust, even 22 years after the collapse of apartheid.”
Gabuza also warned the fees commission that any policy solutions to the fees crisis that do not take into consideration the systemic issues behind the fees campaign are bound to fail.
“We also wish to remind our political leaders that 22 years into post-apartheid South Africa, racial inequalities in accessing quality education continue to prevail at all levels of education. While it is important to increase fiscal allocation to tertiary education to address the concerns of university students, the government should not forget the harsh realities of unequal education that exist at both the primary and secondary level.”