Parliament to recommend placing Fort Hare under administration after violent protests
The University of Fort Hare may be placed under administration following a recommendation by Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education.
This comes in the wake of recent violent student protests and deepening governance challenges at the institution.
Committee Chairperson Tebogo Letsie said placing the university under administration would help stabilise the situation and rebuild trust between students and management.
The university, based in Alice in the Eastern Cape, has been rocked by student unrest that culminated in the burning of seven buildings, some of which hold national heritage status.
“Some of the university’s buildings are national heritage sites and a UNESCO World Heritage Site,” he said.
The committee visited the campus on Tuesday as part of an urgent oversight programme following the unrest. During the visit, members of Parliament assessed the extent of the damage and met with the university council, management, student representative council (SRC), and other stakeholders.
Letsie said the incident could have been prevented if the university leadership had engaged meaningfully with students over their concerns.
“Those who destructed property used the strike to commit this horrendous crime,” he said.
“We believe the Minister of Higher Education and Training needs to appoint an independent assessor using section 43 and 44 of the Higher Education Act.”
He added that such an intervention could assist in uncovering governance failures and addressing unresolved issues that contributed to the unrest, including the controversial extension of the Vice-Chancellor’s term beyond the retirement age of 65, the lack of SRC elections, and ongoing safety concerns.
During the walkabout of the damaged facilities, committee members also observed what they described as appalling conditions in student residences, some of which pose health and safety risks.
Letsie stressed that the university should reflect the values of a centre of learning and critical thought. “It should always behave in a manner that reflects that,” he said.
Letsie said the university council acknowledged four key grievances raised by students: the Vice-Chancellor’s extended term, failure to hold SRC elections, the absence of an interim SRC, and serious safety concerns on campus and in residences.
The council said it is still considering appointing an independent body to seek legal advice on the VC’s appointment.
Fort Hare’s management reported that records were destroyed during the fires, although most information had been preserved through digitisation. Their recovery plan includes restoring academic continuity, stabilising the environment, and ensuring such a strike does not happen again.
Letsie condemned the destruction of infrastucture as “an outrageous criminality at an institution that should be a shining symbol of reason and an iconic university that is the alma mater of several of South Africa’s great leaders.”
hope.ntanzi@iol.co.za
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