Buildings were set alight on the University of Fort Hare's Alice campus after the suspended SRC was replaced with an interim body.
The University of Fort Hare (UFH) has been under siege by angry protestors this week and management have taken decisive action on Thursday.
University management gave all students until 5pm on Thursday evening to vacate the Alice and East London premises in a directive issued this morning.
Several buildings on campus have been set alight this week as students rioted over the installation of an interim student representative council (SRC) and other associated complaints.
‘Intimidation, victimisation’
Vice-chancellor Sakhela Buhlungu stated on Thursday that the campus-wide eviction would be in the students’ best interests.
“The university management has expressed deep disappointment and regret that the actions of a few have endangered the safety of the entire university community.
“The latest developments, including the large-scale destruction of property, indicate that we are dealing with much bigger issues, with a significant component of sponsored violence and criminality,” Buhlungu stated.
The outgoing SRC have been calling for Buhlungu’s removal due to claims of alleged favouritism, mismanagement and the irregular extension of his term in office.
While condemning the violence, the ANC Youth League (ANCYL) did not blame the fiery protests on the students, stating it was instead the “authoritarian and destructive management style” of the university that caused the hostile uprising.
“The use of intimidation, victimisation and purging of individuals and activists has created a toxic environment that is not conducive to teaching, learning or research,” the youth league stated.
It accused the university of extending the vice chancellor’s term without following procedure, and taking unilateral decisions on issues that directly affect students.
Government reacts
Police confirmed that eight suspects aged between 22 and 33 had been arrested for public violence and business burglary.
An administrative block, auditorium, student centre and HIV centre were damaged by fire, but police say no arrests have been made in connection with arson.
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane called for calm, while the ANCYL asked the government to step in to restore the organisation’s credibility.
“I condemn in the strongest possible terms the vandalism and the destruction of property, which is likely to set back the infrastructure development we have seen at the university by another 10 years,” stated Mabuyane.
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education Tebogo Letsie said the university could not endure continued bouts of unrest.
“While the right to protest is protected, the level of violence and destruction is unacceptable and detrimental to the university’s reputation and the students’ education,” Letsie stated.
“These protests are occurring at a critical time when students should be focused on their examinations and must be addressed immediately.”
Calls for vice-chancellor to go
Suspended SRC chairperson Aphelele Khalakahla accused university management of orchestrating the riots as a way to distract from the claims against the vice-chancellor.
“I maintain that it is not students who burn that. Yesterday there were grenades that were flying all over, emitting fire,” Khalakahla told Newzroom Afrika.
Khalakahla had been calling for Buhlungu’s resignation for several months and was suspended from his SRC position in August. The installation of an interim SRC sparked this week’s protest.
“With regard to the eviction letter, we do not welcome it. We are challenging it in court. The lawyers are busy preparing to indict it. Students are saying they are not going anywhere, the only person who should leave us is the vice-chancellor,” Khalakahla concluded.
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