South Africa: Violence mars varsity rugby cup

A brawl between Outsourcing Must Fall protesters and spectators at a university rugby cup game has forced authorities of the University of the Free State to suspend classes for the next two days to investigate the matter.

According to South African media, the clash began Monday afternoon when a group of protesters allegedly interrupted a rugby match calling for a stop in the outsourcing of cleaners at the university.

Rugby players and spectators went on to assault the protesters resulting in clashes which later on spread to the hostels and lasted the whole evening.

According to witnesses, black students were specifically targeted under the watchful gaze of security and later the police.

The university management released a statement on its website condemning the violence against the protesters which led to the disruption of the game.

It went on to defend the institution’s security guards by saying that they were outnumbered.