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CAPE TOWN/TSWANE . — Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande has called for an investigation following the death of a University of the Witwatersrand cleaner during the ongoing student protests. The employee died yesterday from an asthma attack after students released a fire extinguisher in Jubilee Hall, the university confirmed on Monday. Nzimande expressed shock that the university had failed to report the incident immediately.“It is clear from the report that this particular death occurred as a result of the actions of protesting students who are reported to have released a fire extinguisher that affected this employee who later died. The university should have reported this matter immediately so that a proper investigation can take place.”

The university had been asked to conduct a formal investigation and submit a report on what exactly happened, he said.

They should also explain why it took the university so long to report the matter, the education ministry said.

The ministry called for the death to be investigated by the police.

“This incident, therefore, painful as it is, is proof that there are people who are hell bent on holding our universities to ransom and have no regard for the vast majority of law-abiding members of the university community who do not want to participate in protests,” the department said in the statement.

“This death is what I have been cautioning against, and deeply concerned about. It is further proof that there is a small minority determined to undermine the wishes of the majority and that they have gone to the extent of using violence to intimidate other non-protesting students,” Nzimande said.

He said he was of the view that these “elements” had demonstrated no regard for the sanctity of human life when protests became violent.

“Ours is to work tirelessly to prevent any further loss of life as a result of these violent protests. We call on all protesters to restrain themselves from any activity which can lead to further loss of life,” he said.

Protesting students storm Nzimande offices

Meanwhile, several Tswane University of Technology protesting students stormed into the main entrance of Nzimande’s offices yesterday when the minister had barely concluded a joint media briefing with the national Board of Convocations and Alumni when .

Security quickly closed the main entrance on the ground floor but a few students were already in the building. Several officials tried to persuade the students to leave but to no avail. Moments later, several police officers arrived and bundled some of the protesters into police vehicles.

Members of the Tshwane Metro Police blocked traffic on Francis Baard Street as members of the SA Police Service forced the students to evacuate the building.

Some of the protesting students accused the police of heavy-handedness.

“We haven’t broken anything. Is this how a democratic government reacts to protesting students? We have come to tell Blade Nzimande to start acting accordingly. Otherwise when we come back, we will be nasty,” threatened an information technology student who only identified herself as Nhlapo.

Lessons have been suspended at several Pretoria university campuses including the Tshwane University of Technology and the University of Pretoria following scuffles on Monday when students protested over looming fee increases. — News24/African News Agency/HR.