Police are on the scene. Brigadier Sally de Beer of the South African Police Service, said in a statement:

“After a night vigil was held last night‚ students at the University of Pretoria‚ Hatfield‚ have barricaded the entrance to the campus.

Burnett Street in Hatfield close to the University of Pretoria was barricaded with stones by rioting black students. Photo supplied.

“We understand that vehicles on the campus have been damaged and the SAPS will check on this.

“Public Order Policing members are on the scene. Police will monitor the situation and take action where necessary‚ using maximum restraint and minimum force to ensure peace‚ calm and stability‚” she added.

The university’s spokesperson‚ Anna-Retha Bouwer‚ said a “limited” academic programme will continue as scheduled.

“In the early hours of the morning‚ protest action was initiated by a group of protesters in the Hatfield area‚ outside the campus‚ resulting in some damage to university buildings in the Prospect Street and Festival Street area.

“The police are handling the situation‚” she said.

The current protests are part of the #MustFall campaign, which started with #RhodesMustFall, then #AfrikaansMustFall, #FeesMustFall and #ScienceMustFall. Black students want all statues and paintings depicting whites on campus removed, and also want syllabi “decolonised” to exclude Western content. At least one student at the University of Cape Town has called for Western science to be “abolished”.