By: Mnqobi Molefe

A man was apprehended for allegedly trying to steal a laptop from a student’s car at the Durban University of Technology’s City campus on Tuesday.

An unknown man tried to rob a female student at the parking lot outside the main gate, when a security guard saw and ran after him.

The suspect was brought into the school-handcuffed.

Head of security Neil Rooi was seen handing over a donkey pier to one of the security guards who were already lashing the suspect.

Zethembe Sibiya, a journalism student saw this and started capturing it.

When Rooi saw this he became angry and aggressive.

He asked that the student should delete the footage or else face expulsion from the university and even arrest.

“We are protecting you here! Tomorrow someone will rob you and we will just watch you,” said angry Rooi.

The robbed student did not open a case because she received her laptop back and the suspect was arrested for trespassing.

According to Mary Angela Bock, an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Austin School of Journalism who researches photojournalism practice and ethic. (PBS Newshour)

“All citizens should be in the habit of documenting the public work of police in public places, not only in times of crisis, and not just people in groups that are marginalized in society”.