The violence and destruction witnessed this week during student protests at one of the country’s oldest universities, whose alumni include the likes of Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo, has descended into violence and defiance.
What began a month ago as a peaceful student march demanding accountability and safety has spiralled into court battles and questions about corruption and leadership at Fort Hare University in Alice, Eastern Cape.
Hundreds of students marched through the campus and nearby streets on September 12, demanding improved governance, fair student representative council (SRC) elections and attention to the deteriorating living conditions of students. The protesters delivered a memorandum of grievances to university management, including concerns over safety, infrastructure decay and alleged interference in student governance in a demonstration meant to be peaceful and symbolic.
The university issued a statement condemning the protest, labelling it “unlawful” and accusing the organisers of colluding with external parties to disrupt campus operations. Fort Hare spokesperson JP Roodt asserted that the student action was driven by a small cadre of politically aligned individuals.
Student leaders rejected the claims and issued a statement saying the campus disruption was not rooted in external sabotage but in years of administrative neglect and ignored demands. They said the university sought to shift blame onto protesters rather than tackled systemic issues.
The protests turned violent this week. Two university buildings were engulfed in flames. The administrative block and student affairs offices were badly damaged, and two students were hospitalised after confrontations with police and security.
“What has happened at Fort Hare is not protest; it is criminal. It destroys opportunity, erodes confidence and undermines the dreams of thousands of young people who look to education as their only chance for a better life,” said higher education & training minister Buti Manamela.
“Our immediate priority is to ensure that the academic programme resumes within the coming week. I’ve directed the university council and management to put in place all necessary measures to reopen the institution safely and allow teaching and learning to continue, including temporary online modalities where required.
“Students must be able to complete their studies in peace and safety. That is a non-negotiable. The university must ensure that the academic year is not put in jeopardy.”
Students must be able to complete their studies in peace and safety. That is a non-negotiable. The university must ensure that the academic year is not put in jeopardy.
Students previously raised safety and governance concerns in letters to the university, the department of higher education, and student bodies, claiming that:
- In May a student was found unconscious near an unfenced, unlit canal on campus grounds. The Student Representative Council accused the university of neglect, saying that the canal remained uncovered and had inadequate lighting and safety barriers.
- In September a student was found dead near the Alice campus main gate. Students claimed there were no patrol vehicles or security staff in that area, leaving students vulnerable and unprotected.
- Students also cited a fire in the residences, claiming the exits were locked and alarms did not trigger in time.
They also raised allegations of corruption, interference in procurement processes, delays and interference in SRC elections, and complained of governance structures dominated by people connected to vice-chancellor Sakhela Buhlungu’s office.
University management issued instructions for demanding students evacuate the campus by 5pm on Thursday, warning that their safety could no longer be guaranteed due to the violence.
However, the high court in East London on Friday granted an interim interdict preventing the university from evicting or suspending students until their case was fully heard.
The ruling followed an urgent application by four student formations: the EFF Youth Command, the South African Students Congress, the Pan Africanist Student Movement of Azania, and the Young Black Men’s Movement. They argued that the university’s eviction order was unlawful and unconstitutional.
The court ordered that students evicted on October 9 be allowed to return to campus.
At the centre of the unrest are long-standing allegations of corruption and maladministration. An affidavit by Nozuko Sharron Diko, a chief forensic investigator at the Special Investigating Unit (SIU), has recently intensified scrutiny.
In the affidavit, Diko said: “The investigation has revealed irregular procurement practices within the university’s ICT department, including contracts awarded without proper tender processes, falsified quotations, and unauthorised payments to external service providers.”
The affidavit further noted that several officials “acted in concert to manipulate ICT tenders for personal and financial gain”, adding that the “governance culture at the university reflects systemic failures of accountability”.
Students have cited the SIU’s findings as validation of their grievances. “How can we trust leaders accused of corruption to lead us?” they asked. “Fort Hare was built on integrity. That legacy is being destroyed.”
Manamela said the university council would meet today to reflect on “critical issues”, including the state of governance and leadership.
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