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A full-scale crisis has gripped the University of Fort Hare (UFH), prompting urgent calls for government intervention. Following weeks of unrest, the university has suspended operations after widespread property destruction, student arrests, and escalating tensions.
Damage to key infrastructure is estimated at R500 million, affecting the Main Administration Building, Exams Department, Faculty of Agriculture, and more. Stakeholders are now calling for an urgent multi-stakeholder intervention to prevent further collapse.
What Happened
Protests began over unresolved student governance disputes, allegations of exclusion, and inhumane living conditions in residences. However, tensions escalated into violence, with claims of student victimisation and multiple arrests.
According to a formal appeal sent to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee, the unrest has already led to:
- Complete suspension of academic operations
- Destruction of core university buildings
- Several student deaths on or near campus
- A deepening trauma within the university community
There are growing concerns that a “third force” has infiltrated the protests. The letter warns that external actors possibly linked to private security and construction firms may be deliberately escalating violence to benefit financially from chaos and rebuilding contracts.
Official Response: Urgent Meeting Requested
A coalition of concerned stakeholders has sent a formal letter to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, requesting an Urgent Multi-Stakeholder Meeting. The proposed meeting would include:
- Department of Higher Education and Training
- University of Fort Hare’s Council and Executive Management
- Student and academic staff representatives
- Oversight and safety agencies
The appeal outlines the urgent need to restore institutional order, investigate sabotage claims, and develop a recovery framework.
“Without immediate intervention, the consequences will be severe and far-reaching. The academic year is at risk of collapse for thousands of students,” the letter reads.
Community Impact
The effects of the crisis are already being felt across the Fort Hare community. Students face an uncertain academic future, while the destruction of infrastructure and rising violence are driving fear and instability.
There is also growing anxiety about the loss of public trust, especially as Fort Hare holds symbolic and historical importance as a liberation-era institution that has produced many of South Africa’s greatest leaders.
“The University of Fort Hare is not only an academic institution. It is a symbol of South Africa and Africa’s intellectual heritage,” the letter states. “To allow its continued destabilisation would be a national catastrophe for generations to come.”
