Fears of protesters kept UKZN students from fleeing burning building

Two buildings were set alight in the early hours of Wednesday morning at the University of KwaZulu-Natal's Pietermaritzburg campus.

Firefighters were called to put out two fires - one at the television lounge of the Malherbe Residence and another at the DSLT science building.

A number of female students - who asked not to be identified - whose rooms are next to the lounge‚ said they heard knocks on their doors at about 1am but were scared to leave the room.

“We were too afraid to open as we didn’t know whether it was protesters‚” said one of the students.

“We were petrified but we didn’t realise that it was related to the fire. We could have died if we didn't smell the smoke and get out in time.”

The burnt out television lounge at the Malherbe Residence in Pietermaritzburg on 12 October 2016.

Student residence liaison officer Vundla Ntokozo said the students didn't condone the setting alight of campus venues.

“I highly doubts students could do such a thing and endanger other students. What we need is the intervention of our parents to come and talk to management about all of this because we no longer feel safe.”

He said students had nothing to gain from the burning of campus buildings.

 – TMG Digital/The Times