At least 13 students were arrested as protests erupted at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Pietermaritzburg and Howard College campuses on Monday.

Police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Thulani Zwane said that police arrested 13 students who staged protests at the Howard College in Durban.

He said that there were protests continuing on Monday evening at the university’s Pietermaritzburg campus, but that he could not provide any further details.

University spokesman Lesiba Seshoka said in a statement released earlier on Monday, that student protests had been dispersed by university security, police and the police’s Public Order Policing Units.

“Students are urged to follow established protocols and raise any issue of concern with their respective SRC representatives. The University is committed to engaging with students to address their grievances,” he said.

He said that the university had obtained a High Court Interdict which prohibits unlawful protests, disruptive gatherings, demonstrations, mass action, intimidation or any violent act to persons or property at the entrance and premises of University campuses.

He said that security at the university had been beefed up in a bid to prevent any further disruptions to the academic programme.

Social media platforms Twitter and Facebook were awash with reports of shots being fired at the Pietermaritzburg campus and roads being blocked off. However, this could not be independent verified at the time of writing.