Students bring UKZN to standstill

2012-08-22 15:57

UKZN strike (Londa Ntombela, Twitter)

News24 and Sapa

Cape Town - A protest that brought the University of KwaZulu Natal's Pietermaritzburg and Durban campuses to a standstill was suspended on Wednesday.

Pictures of students burning tyres and reports of police firing teargas were rife on Twitter.

KZN police spokesperson Captain Thulani Zwane said police used stun grenades to disperse the students.

Five people were arrested when about 130 students protested on campus, said Zwane.

"It’s quiet at the moment," he told News24.

Students of the University of KwaZulu-Natal at Howard College in Durban and at the Pietermaritzburg campus started protesting on Tuesday, with students demanding, among other things, safety at residences, adequate maintenance and living conditions, and better management of cafeteria services.

Student Representative Council spokesperson Isaac Luthuli said they decided to suspend the strike after the university management showed willingness to address their grievances.

Luthuli told News24 they were working with management, but that “anything can happen”.

"We have received reports that lectures have been disrupted and that police have arrested a number of individuals for participating in violent protest action," university spokesperson Nomonde Mbadi said in a statement.

Mbadi said a meeting had been scheduled with student representatives and management.

"Management sincerely regrets and does not condone the disruptions to lectures and the intimidation of staff and students," she said.

Police were keeping watch on the campus at Howard College.

In a report by SABC, Luthuli said they gave management an ultimatum of seven days before starting to strike again.