A fire tore through a residence at the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Pietermaritzburg campus on Monday morning. Students barricaded the entrances to residences early in the morning in an effort to keep students out of lectures.

The entrance to the William O’Brien residence was set on fire shortly after 06:00. Firefighters, protected by a significant contingent of police, extinguished it.

The fire in the residence followed days of unrest at the campus. Students had been clashing with police since Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande announced last Monday that universities could decide their own fee increases for 2017, up to a maximum of 8%. Poor students would not have to pay the increase.

On Sunday, messages circulated on social media, warning students not taking part in the strike against tertiary education fees to stay away.

According to the message, those not “with” striking students would be “against them”.