Eastern Cape Premier Lubabalo Oscar Mabuyane has expressed his dismay and profound sadness at violent and disruptive scenes emerging out of one of the provinces’ historical institutions, the University of Fort Hare (UFH) in eDikeni.
Students at the university have been protesting over the last few days and the protest has reached boiling point as protesting students have burned down several buildings including the Staff Center, Administration and Student Services buildings, with looting reportedly affecting the Student Centre.
Premier Mabuyane has engaged Higher Education and Training Minister, Bhuti Manamela, who has deployed a team of senior government officials to engage with the university management with a view to resolve the impasse.
The Premier has also engaged the clergy and civil-society leaders to assist government restore calm at the Alice Campus towards enabling a conducive environment for dialogue to take place with all the relevant stakeholders.
The clergy is from various denominations led by the Reverend Bongani Finca, supported by Rev Cyril Hartland, Rev. Mpumelelo Qwabaza, Bhishop Andile Mbethe, Bhishop Nceba Nopece, Bishop Ebenezer Ntlali, Rev Vuyani Nyobole, and Rev Gcobani Vika.
The clergy will be supported by Members of the Executive Council (MEC) for Community Safety, Xolile Nqatha, MEC for Education, Fundile Gade who is also a Human Resource Development Council member, and MEC for Social Development, Bukiwe Fanta.
The DHET team will focus its attention of administrative issues while the provincial team will focus their attention on matters of social facilitation.
“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 Premier Mabuyane.
The Premier is further saddened by the reported injury of students in skirmishes with law enforcement personnel and wishes for their speedy recovery.
The Premier has further called on the South African Police Services (SAPS) to strengthen their visibility and to prevent further injuries and damage to university property.
END.
