The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) welcomes and fully supports the decision by the Council of the University of Fort Hare (UFH) to suspend the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu.
Adopted by a decisive two-thirds majority, this decision is more than an administrative change, it is a necessary turning point. For the first time, the idea of a “decade of renewal” at UFH has a real chance of becoming meaningful.
From rhetoric to reality: the real renewal begins now
For years, the language of renewal has been used to describe the future of UFH. But, renewal cannot take root while the source of instability remains in place.
The NTEU has consistently argued that the challenges at UFH were not isolated incidents, but symptoms of a deeper, systemic problem rooted in leadership.
The union has said before: “The problems at Fort Hare are not surface-level. They are rooted in a leadership crisis that has affected every part of the institution.”
With the suspension of Professor Buhlungu, whom the union has repeatedly identified as central to this crisis, the university now has a genuine opportunity to begin rebuilding. The real work of restoration, accountability, and transformation can finally start.
A long-standing position of the NTEU
This moment did not arise suddenly. NTEU has, over time, been clear and consistent about where accountability must lie. In earlier interventions, we stated that you cannot fix Fort Hare without confronting the concentration of power and failures at the very top and that accountability must start where authority sits. Without that, there can be no meaningful change.
Council’s decision reflects what workers and the broader university community have been saying for some time and that’s that meaningful renewal requires decisive action at the highest level.
The iceberg beneath the surface
While the suspension of the Vice-Chancellor is a critical step, it is not the end of the process. It is the beginning.
NTEU emphasises that what has been uncovered at UFH is only the tip of the iceberg. Investigations must continue and they must go further.
The institution has been affected by a wide range of serious issues, including criminal networks operating within and around the university; appointments made without proper process or oversight; victimisation and intimidation of staff and whistleblowers; payments to service providers outside of procurement rules and governance breakdowns at multiple levels.
These are not minor concerns and they point to a pattern of systemic failure that must now be fully addressed.
“It went to the very top”
The NTEU General Secretary, Grant Abbott, has been unequivocal in describing the nature of the crisis at UFH.
In relation to the criminal network uncovered at the university, and the arrests that followed, including that of Isaac Plaatjies, the GS stated: “We have always insisted that the real kingpin was never Isaac Plaatjies. It went to the very top, to the Vice-Chancellor.”
He further described the situation in stark terms, saying “What we are dealing with at Fort Hare is a ‘University Mafia’, a network of patronage, intimidation and control that has captured the heart of the institution.”
The responsibility of Council
NTEU now calls on Council, under the leadership of Dr Siyanda Makaula, to carry this process forward with determination.
This moment must be used to root out all corruption linked to the previous administration and expand investigations to include other members of the executive where necessary. It falls upon council to help restore proper governance and oversight and to protect those who speak out. This is an opportunity to rebuild trust across the university.
The suspension of the Vice-Chancellor was necessary. Ensuring that the system that allowed these issues to develop is dismantled is just as important.
A chance to restore the institution
UFH is a historic institution with a critical role in South Africa’s higher education system. It cannot continue to operate under conditions of fear, instability and compromised governance.
As the NTEU has previously stated: “Workers deserve a university governed with integrity, not fear. A university where accountability is real and consistent.”
That vision is now within reach, but only if this moment leads to sustained action.
Issued By:
JakoNel
NTEU Brand & Communications Manager
For media queries: 041 001 2109
Email: jako@nteu.org.za
For more information on the National Tertiary Education Union, visit www.nteu.org.za or find us on social media.