AKA Slams Police Violence Amid the Ongoing University Student Protests

South Africa hip-hop artist AKA has slammed the South African Police Service (SAPS) for the violence meted out to protestors during the ongoing university student demonstrations. This comes after the death of Mthokozisi Ntumba, a bystander who was fatally shot by the SAPS during protests this past Wednesday. The protests, which began this past Tuesday, are in response to the financial exclusion of students at the University of the Witwatersrand. Despite this fatality, SAPS continues to use the same dispersal methods.

Read: Police Kill One Person Amid Ongoing Student Protests in South Africa

AKA took to twitter to share a thread supporting the students on the ground while pointing out that political factions actually did not matter as police shoot at anyone. The "Finessin" rapper pointed this out as, historically, there have always been tensions between different student bodies which are usually affiliated with major political parties. This year's leading student representative council (SRC) is the Progressive Youth Alliance (PYA), the original ANC student body South African Student Congress (SASCO) and the main opposition, the Economic Freedom Fighters Student Council (EFFSC).

AKA has been engaging with student affairs since the #FeesMustFall movement of 2015/2016. He reportedly donated 100 000 Rands to the University of the Witwatersrand in 2019. His annual #FeesMustFall concert, which was supposed to take place at the beginning of last year, was reportedly postponed. According to IOL,other South African celebrities have joined the calling out of violence against student protestors including television actress and rapper, Boity Thulo, the current Miss South Africa, Shudufhadzo Abigail Musida, Kwesta and AKA's longtime rival, Cassper Nyovest.