Police opened a murder and public violence case after a Durban University of Technology (DUT) student, who had been shot during an altercation with security guards at one of its campuses on Tuesday afternoon, died in hospital.

The student, whose identity is being withheld by the university, died while receiving medical attention at City Hospital in Durban, the university said in a statement earlier.

Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Thembeka Mbhele said a group of about 30 students stoned the administration building on Tuesday, injuring an administration staffer and a security guard.

Mbhele was unable to say what the extent of the injuries were.

"From there, they (the protesting students) proceeded to Gates 3, 4 and 5 [ and] did the same thing," said Mbhele.

Security at the respective gates called for back-up and it is understood that the student was shot during a confrontation at one of the gates. Where exactly the student was shot was also expected to form part of the investigation, Mbhele told News24.

Earlier, the university said the student's cause of death and details were not yet clear and would be subject to a preliminary police investigation.

"The university is saddened by this unfortunate incident and due to the sensitivity of this incident, the university cannot divulge further details at this stage," it said.

It also sent condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

"We plead that the family and the university be offered the opportunity to grieve the passing of the student."

The university's management decided to close the institution until further notice.

According to the EFF Students Command's KwaZulu-Natal branch, the student was one of its members.