UKZN management believe ongoing engagement with SRC will resolve issues

Students at three of the campuses have this week been protesting over a number of issues such as fee increases, the conditions at residences and financial aid.

But the protests were marred by violence forcing the institution to shut down the university by bringing the spring break forward.

At a media briefing held at the Westville Campus earlier today - university council member Sammy Mashita said they had come up with a new strategy that would ensure the students and the university were on the same page.

"We've requested that the vice-chancellor meet with SRC - in the form of secretary and president - on a monthly basis, and the entire Executive Management Committee will meet with a delegation of the SRC on a quarterly basis. That is outside normal meetings of senate, of council,  and all sub-committees where they continue to meet," he said.

Vice Chancellor of UKZN, Dr Albert van Jaarsveld, says while they are not against students voicing their grievances  - it should not be in a manner that puts other students in harm's way.

"We have 44000 students on our campuses. But the well-being of the majority of students and the staff and everybody on the campuses - lies at the heart of the way that we engage with those protests, especially if they become violent. And where students - even [those] participating in the protest action do get hurt - the university always responds and assists those students," he said.