Cape Town – The University of Fort Hare’s vice-chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu says he has never known peace since he took up his current job, accusing politicians and business people of working as part of a syndicate to have him ousted or resign in fear.
Bahlungu, whose bodyguard was shot dead recently at the university in a suspected hit, has alleged there was syndicate within the Eastern Cape university which was working with business people who were service providers and politicians..
Buhlungu has since appealed publicly to President Cyril Ramaphosa to ensure his safety after his bodyguard was killed in a suspected hit on Friday night.
“These syndicates are running a mock, I found an institution that has been captured, I found an institution that has been troubled and that was broken down.
“All the while people were turning a blind eye and they were saying all the nice things about what the iconic university was, but the rot was there,” he said.
He alleged that the syndicate was also linked to politicians, and political operators who have their fingers deep in alleged dodgy business at the university.
“That's what this is about, and I think it is time now that we tell the truth so that we do not beat around the bush when we seek solutions and I absolutely have no doubt that there are political connections.
“There are also those connected to politicians that informally approach me and try to convince me to step down from my position, ’’Buhlungu said.
Buhlugu alleged that in March 2021 gunshots were fired into one of his deputy vice chancellors in Alice and in his house.
He said there were no injuries during those encounters.
He also said that during May 2021 graduation ceremonies, a fleet manager at the university was shot dead in Gonubie near East London.
“On that occasion there was no commissioner police, there was no station commander, there was no national minister including our minister of higher education, it was as if a fly had died.
“That case is almost a year old and there has been nothing since.
“All of a sudden people are making noise about how disgusted they are, first my first question is that Petrus Roets who was shot dead on the 19th of May in cold blood eight times and no official, no concern, I want answers there.
“Secondly, now it's coming for me perhaps they want to fetch my body outside the gates of the university, maybe only then they will start doing something,” Buhlungu said
Meanwhile, the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, condemned the murder of the bodyguard he identified as Mboneli Vesele.
Nzimande said in a statement that although investigations were at an early stage, all indications were that Buhlungu was targeted.
“I outrightly condemn this barbaric murder of Mr Vesele and the attempt on the life of Prof Buhlungu. This attack is not only an attack on the University of Fort Hare, but also an attack on the entire post school education and training sector,” Nzimande said.
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