Fort Hare University has been identified as one of the institutions of higher learning that will be closely monitored and prioritised on issues of safety and security.
This announcement was made by Higher Education Minister, Blade Nzimande during his visit to the Alice campus following the murder of Vice Chancellor (VC) Professor, Sakhela Buhlungu’s bodyguard over the weekend.
Mboneli Vesele was shot inside an official vehicle near the vice chancellor’s home. Buhlungu was not in the area at the time of the incident.
Nzimande has committed to form a national task force that will be work with institutions of higher education to improve safety and security. The Minister has also encouraged these institutions to have their own structures that deal with safety issues.
“We are going to leave no stone unturned to fight against corruption in our institutions and also to ensure that fort hare is protected as institutions we want to say to the criminals that they won’t win we are very determined.” says Nzimande.
Meanwhile, the Fort Hare SRC President, Siphokazi Mbalo, says they are not happy with the way the case has been handled.
“As the SRC and the students we are not satisfied because we feel like by now, there’s supposed to be a lead as to who did this and the motive as to why. Because it’s really putting us in a compromising position. Because it is very hard for us to comment on this issue because we don’t know what was the motive behind the assassination of the VC. So we want the perpetrator to be arrested and we want the motive, why did he do what he did.”
Police are investigating, but no arrests have been made yet.
Fort Hare will hold a memorial service for Mboneli Vesele on Thursday. – Reporting by Sidima Mfeku
