Student protests force campus to close
Protesters block road, clash with police
A truck carrying fast food supplies was looted by rampaging University of Fort Hare students demanding the removal of vicechancellor Sakhela Buhlungu in protest action on Tuesday.
The university’s Alice campus was shut down as students clashed with police in running battles.
The students blockaded part of the R63 in front of the campus with burning tyres.
It was during this two-hour period, when traffic had come to a standstill, that the truck, carrying supplies such as uncooked chickens, eggs and buns, was looted.
The truck driver ran away. The students took the decision to demonstrate at a mass meeting on Monday night.
SRC president James Nqabeni told the Dispatch that Buhlungu was not fit to be VC.
The students accuse Buhlungu of ignoring issues that have been raised with him.
Nqabeni said more than 3,000 students had been excluded from the system because the university was not allowing those who owed money to register for courses.
“Here we have a problem with someone, who is the vicechancellor, who has an approach that is not conducive for students he is dealing with.
“He wants to bring about change, but the approach is not
He does not understand when we tell him we are from poor families. He does not understand what it means to be poor
fine. He is trying to force it on the students,” he said.
“He does not relate to our issues.
“He does not understand when we tell him that we are from poor families. He does not understand what it means to be poor.”
Students said they needed someone who would be more than just a vice-chancellor and more like “a parent”.
Nqabeni called on higher education minister Blade Nzimande to remove Buhlungu “as a matter of urgency”.
University spokesperson Thandi Mapukata said a statement on the protests would be released later on Tuesday.
The Dispatch saw a copy of a notice from Buhlungu to staff and students that the university had been closed and that “normal activities” would resume on Wednesday.
● UFH has denied a claim by the SRC that the person suspected of killing student Olwethu Tshefu on Saturday was an employee of the university.
Athenkosi Qwenga, 22, appeared in the Alice magistrate’s court on Monday on a murder charge. The case was postponed to March 2.
The SRC issued a press statement on Tuesday morning saying Qwenga worked for the university.
But Mapukata said it was not true.
Tshefu was a key witness in the case against Yolanda Nogemane, who is accused of killing her classmate and boyfriend Yonela Boli on February 8.
The Dispatch established that Qwenga was a general worker on the construction site of a student village being built at the Alice campus.
Andrew Gericke, the MD of Dewing Construction, which is building the village, said Qwenga “allegedly” worked for one of 10 different subcontracting companies on the site which were undertaking work on behalf of Dewing.
He said he had not verified that Qwenga worked on site.
“We are very much on board with working with the police on this investigation.
“We are open to assist in any way,” Gericke said.