Protesting students at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Westville campus set alight tyres and threw them into buildings, causing disruptions on Wednesday.
Just hours after the university opened its doors for the first time this week after student protests forced the shutdown of UKZN’s four campuses last week, students once again went on the rampage on Wednesday.
Videos posted on social media showed students – their faces covered with t-shirts – carrying tyres and setting them alight. It was unclear the extent of the damage.
The university said in a statement that the academic programme at the Westville campus was disrupted and that a student was injured.
“One student has been injured in the fracas and is receiving medical attention. University Risk Management Services and Public Order Policing are monitoring the situation,” the statement said.
On Tuesday, UKZN announced that all the institution’s four campuses at Howard College, Westville, Edgewood, and Pietermaritzburg will be open.
It came after the campuses shut down last week over issues of funding for postgraduate studies, security at student residences and WiFi.
Last month protests rocked universities across the province as students clashed with police as they demanded that their complaints be heard.
The clashes were often violent and resulted in the death of Durban University of Technology student Mlungisi Madonsela who was shot at the institution.
The damage caused by the protests ran into millions as Mangosuthu University of Technology told the Daily News that the protests resulted in infrastructure damage worth R3.5 million.
Article sourced from Daily News
