Durban - A group of students protested at the Mangosuthu University of Technology in Durban on Monday, disrupting lectures.
MUT spokeswoman Mbali Mkhize said there had been a few disruptions at the institution.
Protesting students were demanding to be re-registered despite unpaid student fees. The unpaid fees related to students funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
“This year, the university has received a grant amounting to R167 512 494 from NSFAS, only six percent more (than) last year’s grant.
“This is a challenge because even last year NSFAS could only fund 20 percent of first-year students. This is beyond the control of the university because NSFAS is an external and autonomous body in its own right,” she said.
NSFAS had not paid last year's fees for some students, Mkhize said.
She said the institution would be engaging with NSFAS as well as the department of higher education to resolve the issue.
Lectures were stopped on Monday, but Mkhize said security had been beefed up and she expected lectures to resume on Tuesday.
Captain Thulani Zwane said police were keeping watch at the university, but most protesting students had dispersed by mid-afternoon on Monday.
Sapa