The University of Witwatersrand (Wits) on Friday vowed to continue with academic activities despite disruptions and arson attacks on campus.

Wits spokesperson Shirona Patel said two cars were set alight and two more overturned on campus overnight and that disruption of classes took place on Friday morning.

“Four students tried to disrupt a lecture this morning [Friday] in the New Commerce Building and set off a fire cracker during a lecture in the FNB Building. The lecturer and students continued with the lecture outside the venue. Campus control is following up on this matter,” she said.

Patel said university management had considered lifting the 10pm campus curfew implemented last week, but that recent incidents of violence and arson could not be ignored.

“We cannot remove the restrictions entirely. We will continue to relax the conditions progressively as the situation stabilises whilst continuing to open up more spaces for academic study after 10pm for those committed to their studies.”

The disruptions on campus continued unabated this week. A library was torched and at least 100 books destroyed, and on Thursday, student leader Shaeera Kalla was shot at least 13 times with rubber bullets by police after violence broke out once again at Wits.

With students having abandoned classes for weeks now to demand free higher education, the university said it was doing everything it could to complete the academic year. Shutting down the university would have a negative impact on its 36 000 students, staff members and the 7 000 first year students that needed to be welcomed in 2017, said Patel.

Students at public universities have been protesting for over a month demanding free higher education under the #FeesMustFall movement. The protests have led to the destruction of university properties as running battles between students and police continued.