A misunderstanding over the privatisation of residences at the University of KwaZulu-Natal sparked chaos last week, leading to 16 students being jailed after violent protests.

Student demonstrations resulted in the disruption of lectures at the Westville, Howard College and Maritzburg campuses.

The university confirmed that 16 students were arrested on charges of public violence and intimidation after protests turned ugly at the Maritzburg and Westville campuses. They are out on bail.

About 9000 students are accommodated in residences on and off campus, including 7000 who are living in university-owned residences.

But vice-chancellor Malegapuru Makgoba denied that the residences were being privatised.

Makgoba said last week that the university had been exploring ways of providing more accommodation for students on campus. It did not favour off-campus residences.

"These discussions centred on the need to provide ready access to residence students to teaching and learning facilities, as well as to recreational facilities. These initiatives have the full support of the current and previous students' representative councils."

He said UKZN Innovation - a wholly university-owned initiative - was leading the process.

"At meetings held on August 16 and 20, it was proposed that the finance committee recommend to the council the approval, in principle, to accommodate all off-campus students and needy students on campus," Makgoba said.

Students' Representative Council president Thanduxolo Sabelo admitted that the protest was caused by a "miscommunication and misunderstanding of the whole concept of privatisation".

"We have got the assurance from management and we are therefore convinced that there will be no privatisation."

He said a decision was taken on Thursday night to temporarily suspend the protests following a meeting between the SRC and university management, and that the SRC would meet management today to clarify issues relating to privatisation.

Sabelo said students were not prepared to live in residences off campus and wanted existing residences to be well maintained. About 2700 students were living in off-campus residences.

"We are saying to management that they must come up with a strategy to build new residences on campus and that it must be a strategy that doesn't suggest any form of privatisation."

But Sandile Phakathi, KwaZulu-Natal chairman of the South African Congress of Students, expressed scepticism.

"If he [Makgoba] says the council has said that UKZN Innovation must handle the issue of building and managing residences, it means that the management of residences is taken out of the student services division and given to an independent wing."

Phakathi said UKZN Innovation was looking for private partners to help it with the building and management of residences. "That is outright privatising of residences."