Unisa students blockade Durban road

A strike by University of South Africa (Unisa) staff sparked renewed protest action by prospective students in Durban.

On Wednesday a group of nearly 100 student hopefuls blockaded Stalwart Simelane Street outside the city campus‚ using rocks and overturned bins.

Protracted wage negotiations between the National Education‚ Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) and Unisa remain deadlocked.

The students took to the streets to vent their frustration‚ under the watchful eye of police.

Unisa SRC representative Msizi Mbotho said the impasse between Nehawu and Unisa management negatively affected the prospective students.

"We are raising genuine issues but we are asking the police to cooperate with us innocents. But we are going to move peacefully because we know there is space at Westville Prison and we don't want to accommodate that space‚" Mbotho said to police.

After a brief standoff and negotiations between Ethekwini Metro Police and SRC members‚ the debris was cleared and roads were opened.