Sne Masuku

Sne Masuku

Continued students' violent protest at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) yesterday forced the institute to suspend lessons.

Spokesman for DUT Nomonde Mbadi said to ensure safety on campus, the management decided to suspend lectures from yesterday until Monday.

The students engaged in the protest to demand that the institute write off the R20million they owe in fees.

But the university has refused to cancel the debt. About 3000 students are unable to proceed with their studies because they owe last years' fees.

Most students relied on the National Students Financial Aid Scheme to pay their fees, but this body has reportedly run out of funds.

The students have vowed to continue with the protests to force the university to admit them, despite calls by management to call off the strike.

Yesterday students marched from one campus to another, forcing other students to join them.

SRC spokesman Mthunzi Gumede yesterday said they had nothing to do with yesterday's protest.

He said students with financial problems were supposed to consult with the management and that their issues would be dealt with individually.