Johannesburg, Mar 16 (IANS): South African students have continued their protests for free and quality education.

In a statement issued on Monday, the South African Students Congress (SASCO) said some students barricaded the road on Jorisson street in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, chanting slogans, Xinhua news agency.

Police used water cannons to try and disperse the crowd.

A small group of students at the University of Johannesburg marched outside the entrance to the Bunting Campus early in the morning.

The crowd was soon dispersed.

SASCO has called for a national shutdown of all institutions of higher learning on Monday, demanding scrapping historic debt and delivering on a promise of free tertiary education.

"The national shutdown continues up until all our demands are met," said Sasco General Secretary Buthanani Thobela,

"We say no to financial and academic exclusion. We want an increase in student funding."

According to local media, the student representative council at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) said it supported the protest call but won't join as students have yet to complete the 2020 academic year.