Burning a public library because you are demanding a clinic is not going to take South Africa forward, Higher Education and Training Minister, Blade Nzimande, said on Thursday.

"Students must look after this accommodation properly because if they do not look after it, they would be acting in a very selfish way to say 'it is good for us but we do not care in what condition we leave it', and this deprives future generations of safe and comfortable accommodation," said Nzimande.

Nzimande was delivering a keynote address at the handing over of a newly renovated building at the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital to the University of the Witwatersrand.

The university would be leasing the 300-bed building as student residence until December to address the urgent need for accommodation.

Nzimande urged South Africans to protect public property.

Health MEC Gwen Ramokgopa agreed with Nzimande and called on students to use the facilities responsibly.

"[This is to ensure that] those that come after us will find them [facilities] in good condition, for them to have the same opportunities," she said.

Ramokgopa encouraged students to continue engaging the government on student related issues.