They said that he had jailed one of their leaders Mcebo Dlamini. This comes after eminent individuals, including the former Public Protector Thuli Madonsela and founding general secretary of Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) Jay Naidoo, were set to meet with the students in a bid to strike a peace accord at the troubled institution.

The peace accord, called by Wits academics, was set as a mass meeting at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church to launch dialogue for unity and coalition building to fund and save all public universities in South Africa.

But when students entered the church, they discovered that Habib was among those with whom they would be interacting. Habib’s presence prompted a commotion among the students gathered inside the church, with some opting to leave and emotions running high.

They chanted “Habib Must Fall” and sang a vernacular song, “I hate Habib”.

One of the student leaders, Busisiswe Seabe, said Habib had all along ignored students pleas to remove police officers on campus, but was surfacing at a peace accord meeting without their invitation.

“We will not be ambushed by Habib at our own meeting. Habib is a sinner and should not be at the church’s grounds,” Seabe said.

“His first line of march must be to Sun City [Johannesburg Correctional Services Centre] to release Mcebo. We will not allow him to speak, he and management must leave.”

Dlamini, a former Wits Student Representative Council president and #FeesMustFall leader, was arrested at his Wits residence in the early hours on Sunday.

He was denied bail at the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday and faces charges of public violence, theft, malicious damage to property and assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Habib had to leave the church quietly via a backdoor.

Meanwhile, students urged the clergy to call off the meeting and move it to a bigger venue as the church could not accommodate everybody.

After consultation with Wits SRC secretary general, Fasiha Hassan, the clergy agreed to move the meeting though reluctant at first fearing the responsibility should any violence occur.

“This meeting is very important but the venue is too small. All we are asking for is for venue change. We have asked for the meeting to be moved to Solomon Mahlangu House. We can guarantee the safety of everyone,” Hassan said.

Among the eminent persons who were meeting the students were Father Graham Pugin, executive director of Section27 Mark Heywood, deputy chairperson of the Electoral Commission of South Africa Terry Tselane, chief executive of the Nelson Mandela Foundation Sello Hatang, former Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, and former Speaker of Parliament Max Sisulu.

The meeting was currently progressing at Solomon Mahlangu House.

ANA