Nzimande condemns ‘senseless’ violence at UKZN

Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimade made the scathing remarks on the violent protests at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) where several buildings were torched by students.

The university has suspended its academic programme at all four of its campuses for the rest of this week amid the ongoing violent student protests.

On Monday, protests at the university turned violent when students tried to petrol bomb a dining hall and a security van.

The building housing the HIV support centre at the Howard College campus was set alight.

A guardhouse and a kitchen at the Pietermaritzburg campus were also damaged during the protests.

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The Department of Higher Education, Science and Technology spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi says the minister doesn’t believe any good will come from the violence.

"Minister Nzimande says that these attacks looks like well-orchestrated acts of sabotage and criminality meant to undermine and reverse the already achieved milestones," says Mnisi.

The protests at the institution forged ahead despite an agreement between the department and the South African Union of Students (SAUS) to call off a planned national shutdown over historical debt and registration fees.

"Minister Nzimande says among other priorities he remains committed to discuss with SAUS the matter of student debt for non-NSFAS qualify students," adds Mnisi.

Mnisi says the department has partnered up with police to speed up the arrest of those responsible for causing “anarchy” at the university.