The Vice-Chancellor of Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Derrick Swartz says they were informed verbally about efforts by an organised section of the student community to disrupt academic and other activities at the institution on Wednesday.
He says they indicated that they would be staging protests on campuses in support of various institutional demands, and as part of a national drive to ‘shutdown’ universities.
Swartz says no attempt was made to follow University rules regarding protest action, including guarantees of the safety of others, not partaking in protest and university property, and none of the existing channels of negotiation and consultation had been fully utilised or exhausted.
He says it may not be possible to conduct normal business at their campuses, but will seek to meet with student leaders to listen to and deliberate over their grievances once stability is established.
Meanwhile, police are maintaining a strong presence at NMMU.
Spokesperson, Captain Johan Rheeder says police acted just before 7 o'clock against students, by using stun grenades and teargas.
He says ambulances are at the scene, after some students sustained scrape wounds.
One student claims that she was hit by a rubber bullet, and pictures of it were posted on social media.
Rheeder could not confirm the incident.
