WATCH: UKZN students, management speak out
Some UKZN students claim management promised them at the beginning of the year that their grievances, leading to current tensions on campuses, would have been addressed.
Mandla Dlamini, an SRC member on the Westville campus, says concerns including the decentralisation of the National Students Financial Aid Scheme and the poor state of some residences were brought to management's attention last year.
"Our locking system is very poor whereby you can use the mere card to just swipe the door open," he said.
Dlamini says they've been meeting with management for months on the very same issues, including their support for a no-fee increase.
"Most of them are campus-based issues. Most of them - they were agreed upon but up until now nothing has been done and students are very furious," he said.
UKZN's Lesiba Seshoka has dismissed claims that management has been dismissive of students during negotiations.
"We've engaged the students and we've engaged them thoroughly and have come to the conclusion that the two issues that they are saying - it's either that or nothing and we cannot concede. That's why we have approached council. Council has agreed that they can come and present their issues to the council on the 19th," he said.
The academic programme on all campuses was suspended yesterday.
Classes are expected to resume on September 20.
A section of the law Library on Durban's Howard College campus was set alight last night.
(Video by Anelisa Kubheka)