Police must stop shooting students with rubber bullets, the African National Congress (ANC) has said.

"The ANC condemns the shooting by police of students using rubber bullets. We call on police to refrain from using maximum force," ANC spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said.

Kodwa called on police to stop "provoking students".

This comes after University of the Witwatersrand SRC leader Shaeera Kalla was shot nine times by police. She was being treated at hospital.

Wits spokesperson Shirona Patel confirmed the incident. She also said other students needed medical attention.

"Several students were treated at [the] campus health and wellness centre and one with a dislocated leg was taken to hospital by the dean of students and campus nurse," Patel said.

Earlier in an exclusive interview with News24, Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula said police seemed to be acting in a panic when handling protesting students, especially at the University of the Witwatersrand and Rhodes University.

"I think they are not confident in how they manage crowds," Mapisa-Nqakula said.

She expressed concern about how police were firing rubber bullets. They should be aiming at protesters’ feet or the ground, instead of at their upper bodies. They should not try and injure, but rather "neutralise" the situation, she said.