“Our intention is not to burn down the university property,” said Ntuli.

He said their intention was for unity and for the university to consider all races.

“We are not against the university or the white students; we are against the oppressive system. The university still has a predominately white image and culture and we want the university to reflect all races,” he said.

He added that although they had stopped their protest, they still wanted Vice Chancellor Jonathan Jansen to step down.

“We want Jansen to fall because he has failed transformation. What happened on Monday [last week] during the match should have been stopped, and now Jansen has been quiet for a week.”

Last week Monday, a small group of protesters disrupted a Varsity Cup rugby match at Shimla Park Stadium, which culminated in the mass brawl between themselves and spectators.

On Tuesday morning, EFF protesters pulled down and vandalised a statue of Charles Robberts Swart at the university.

CR Swart was the last Governor General of Union of South Africa till 1961, and was president of the Republic of South Africa from 1961 to 1967.

Protesters burnt tyres at the foot of the statue, and used hammers and rocks to bring it down.

On Thursday, security guards were brought in to protect the statue of Marthinus Theunis Steyn from further vandalism. Steyn was the sixth and last president of the Orange Free State from 1896 to 1902.

News24