EASTERN CAPE – The University of Fort Hare (UFH) is standing firm, declaring that its Vice Chancellor, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu, will not resign despite ongoing and increasingly violent student protests. The unrest, which has seen significant damage to university property, was sparked by student demands for Professor Buhlungu's immediate departure, with students claiming that the Vice Chancellor, whose contract has been extended for 12 months, has failed to address their needs.
The university's spokesperson, JP Roodt, has made it clear that Professor Buhlungu intends to serve out his extended term. "The VC is going to conclude his term, which is what he has indicated to us yesterday during our meeting," Roodt stated, adding that despite the "level of anarchy," the university's academic and renewal projects would continue. He also affirmed that "consequence management" would be enforced against those who break the law.
The Department of Higher Education and Training has estimated the damage to buildings at the University of Fort Hare to be between R300 million and R500 million. The institution was forced to temporarily shut down on Thursday following violent student protests that resulted in the torching of six buildings.
Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela has strongly condemned the violence, stating, "The intimidation of staff, of students, and the disruption of teaching and learning, if it cannot end, will never be justified. What has happened at Fort Hare is not a protest; it is criminal. It destroys opportunity, it erodes confidence, but it also undermines the dreams of thousands of young people who look to education as their only chance for a better life."
The unrest at Fort Hare is not an isolated incident. Minister Manamela also addressed similar issues at the University of the Free State (UFS), where student protests have led to arrests. "At the University of Free State, where I had this morning a very long call with the Vice Chancellor, and students have been protesting in both their Bloemfontein and QwaQwa campuses, and about 17 students have been arrested," he explained. The protests at UFS were triggered by the university's decision to discontinue provisional registration from next year.
The Minister highlighted a particularly concerning incident at UFS, noting, "Part of that number includes two of them who were arrested last night for having attempted to throw a petrol bomb in a cubicle that houses security. Now, this is criminality, even if these people are students. They are basically unleashing crime." Nine students who were arrested earlier in the week appeared in the Bloemfontein Magistrate’s Court on Friday and were granted free bail, facing charges of public violence. The total number of arrested students at the University of the Free State has risen from 9 to 17 following a protest on the two campuses in Bloemfontein and Qwaqwa.
In light of the temporary closure of the University of Fort Hare, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has stepped in to protect students' housing rights. NSFAS has ordered an immediate halt to the eviction of students from its accredited accommodation at the University of Fort Hare. This intervention followed several accommodation providers issuing eviction notices after the university’s temporary closure.
NSFAS acting chief executive officer Waseem Carrim has emphasised that students have the right to remain in their residences, ensuring they are not displaced due to the ongoing unrest and university shutdown. This decision aims to provide stability and security for students during a turbulent period.
The situation at both the University of Fort Hare and the University of the Free State underscores the challenges facing higher education institutions in South Africa, balancing the right to protest with the need to maintain order and ensure the safety and continuity of academic activities. The government and university administrations are under increasing pressure to find sustainable solutions to address student grievances and prevent further escalation of violence and disruption.
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