University of Fort Hare campuses close amid arson and protests as students call for VC's resignation

“He must just resign.” The words of student leaders at the University of Fort Hare cut through a week of escalating violence and destruction, as calls mount for Vice-Chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu to step down immediately.

The historic institution has been forced to close all operations at its Alice and East London campuses after protests spiralled into chaos since Monday, 6 October 2025. At least six buildings — including the administration block at Dikeni campus in Alice and the Education building in East London — have been set alight. Others, including the agriculture and student affairs facilities, have been gutted. The damage is estimated at between R250-million and R500-million.

Major demonstrations have raged since Monday, with students clashing with the police. Several have been injured, and at least eight suspects aged between 22 and 33 have been arrested on charges of public violence and business burglary. They appeared at the Alice Magistrate’s Court and will return on 26 November.

Student demands

University of Fort Hare student leader Aphelele Khalakahla told Daily Maverick that the core issue was Buhlungu, who should resign as the vice-chancellor.

“It’s been three days now; this is the fourth day. He [Buhlungu] hasn’t reached out to any student leader to negotiate, and he’s not fit for office. He must just resign. The term is unlawful, and the VC is 65 years old now. He must then go,” said Khalakahla.

He added that students were demanding elections after an interim Student Representative Council (SRC) was attempted by management. 

“They wanted to impose an interim SRC, which is being rejected. There has been no SRC as we speak for the past nine days. Students are demanding elections, not the interim SRC. They want to vote for their own people,” he said.

Buhlungu has faced a gruelling tenure since he stepped into the role as VC of the historic institution in 2017. Student and staff strikes marred the first two years of his tenure, and after he launched an extensive anti-corruption campaign he received  death threats. Petrus Roets, the university’s fleet and transport manager, was shot and killed in Gonubie in East London on 19 May 2022. Mboneli Vesele, Buhlungu’s driver and bodyguard, was shot dead in Dikeni (formerly Alice) on 6 January 2023. In an interview with Estelle Ellis in March 2024 Buhlungu said : “When I got here to Fort Hare, I was a total stranger. I came in cold. I had no friends, no faction that carried me in or who rooted for me. Only when I landed here did I realise we have factions, thieves and mafia leaders."

Burnt buildings 

On the torching of university property, Khalakahla rejected any suggestion that students were to blame. 

“But it’s alarming that there are university buildings that are burnt,” he said.

In a statement dated 8 October, Buhlungu confirmed the suspension of operations to “safeguard the lives and safety of students, staff and visitors, and to protect university property from further damage”.

The South African Police Service (SAPS) has maintained a strong presence at both campuses since the unrest began. According to Lieutenant-Colonel Siphokazi Mawisa, the SAPS “will not recline to maintain order and stabilise the situation. They will carry their mandate with dignity to ensure safety for all. The SAPS will ensure that the cases opened are thoroughly investigated.” 

Minister and premier intervene

Meanwhile, Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane has strongly condemned the protest by students and plans to work with the Department of Higher Education and Training to calm things down.

“The scenes we have seen unfolding are very bad, and we continue to call on university stakeholders to resolve these matters. 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,” said Mabuyane.

Mabuyane originally intended to send church leaders to the university to calm down the tensions; unfortunately, that did not happen, according to Reverend Gcobani Vika. 

“The meeting has been called off because the university has been shut down… We did not go to Fort Hare. It was an intention, but it did not happen,” said Vika.

In a statement dated 8 October, Minister of Higher Education, Buti Manamela, also expressed concern over the unrest at the University of Fort Hare. 

“We remain concerned about the destruction of property and acts of violence, and condemn in the strongest terms actions that rob future generations of learning opportunities and divert scarce resources from improving the quality of education in our country,” said Manamela.

Read more: Union urges department to address university worker victimisation, maladministration

Buhlungu was appointed in 2017. He was confirmed for a second term in 2021. Recently, there have been reports that the council secretly extended his contract until 2027. However, according to a News24 report, Fort Hare denied “secretly” extending the vice-chancellor’s term. 

Daily Maverick sent questions to the university’s spokesperson, JP Roodt, regarding the ongoing protest at the university and whether they had considered Buhlungu’s resignation. No response has been received yet. 

The university has called for students to vacate the premises by no later than 5pm on 9 October 2025. Manamela is also set to brief the media on the situation at the university on Saturday, 11 October 2025, in Pretoria. DM