EFFSC STATEMENT ON THE ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF FORT HARE VICE-CHANCELLOR

Saturday, 7 January 2022

The EFF Students' Command (EFFSC) condemns the attempted assassination of the University of Fort Hare (UFH) Vice-Chancellor (VC), Professor Sakhela Buhlungu. On Friday, 6 January 2022, there was a targeted shooting outside the VC's Alice Residence. Although Professor Sakhela Buhlungu escaped, unharmed, the assassination attempt took the life of one of his executive protection officers (bodyguard), Mr Vesele.

We also note that this is not the first attempt, as last year an incident of similar nature took place outside the house of Professor Buhlungu and another senior official of the University of Fort Hare (UFH). This culture of intimidation and assassination in the Higher (Tertiary) Education Sector has been growing brazenly as any administrator or manager who seeks to rid institutional corruption is menaced by criminal syndicates which have captured the procurement and tender processes of our educational institutions.

Under the government of the African National Congress (ANC), Academic Freedom has been surrendered to criminals who seek to profit from Higher Education. The fact that a leader of an academic institution must walk around with security protection is, in itself, a symbol of a lawless and morally decaying society. South Africa is led by criminals, who continue to collapse and plunder developmental institutions from the municipalities right to the door of the lecture and classroom.

The rule of law in South Africa has evaporated so touch that even the State cannot build roads, bridges, schools, clinics and hospitals without bowing down to the irrational and absurd demands of criminal syndicates. Anyone who dares stand up to this criminality is faced with the life threatening intimidation that the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Fort Hare, and many other university and TVET administrators have endured.

The government of the ANC remains muzzled, with its tail between its legs. Criminals thrive in a country led by indecisive cowards, with questionable ethics. With the ANC in power, we are likely to see an increase as opposed to a decrease in this institutional gangsterism plaguing all government projects and institutions, in particular institutions of higher learning.

We call for a special unit to investigate the criminal capture of Higher Education, in particular procurement, up to the office of the Minister of Higher Education. We equally call on the South African Police Services (SAPS) to not rest on its laurels and promptly arrest those involved in the shooting.