By Thapelo Molefe
The President of the University of Fort Hare Convocation, Ayabulela Pezisa, has accused vice-chancellor (VC) Professor Sakhela Buhlungu of neglecting alumni structures and perpetuating a culture of exclusion at the historic institution, calling for his immediate departure and a full investigation into governance failures.
He also said the institution was in need of a young VC, who would restore integrity and love for the university.
Speaking to Inside Education, Pezisa said the convocation had repeatedly been sidelined by university management, even as tensions between students and the administration intensified in recent weeks.
He claimed that the convocation, which represents the interests of graduates and alumni, has been deliberately denied opportunities to intervene and mediate in the ongoing crisis at the university.
“When we saw that there is a problem in the institution, we requested an urgent meeting with management so that we could help calm the situation,” Pezisa said.
“That opportunity was neglected. They ignored us. This is not the first time the management has sidelined the convocation.”
Pezisa said that despite escalating the matter to the interim chair of the university council, their pleas for engagement went unanswered.
“When we speak about a protest, we are speaking about something that requires urgent action, not silence,” he added.
In a statement issued on Monday evening, the convocation expressed deep concern over what it described as a “governance and leadership crisis engulfing the institution”.
The statement follows a visit by parliament committee chairperson Tebogo Letsie and a recent briefing by Minister of Higher Education and Training Buti Manamela, who highlighted serious governance shortcomings, administrative irregularities, and persistent instability at Fort Hare.
“We welcome the Minister’s acknowledgment of the governance and management failures that have contributed to the current instability and support the call for urgent corrective intervention,” the statement read.
“However, such intervention must go beyond crisis management and address the root causes of systemic failure at UFH.”
The convocation cited several concerns, including poor accountability, lack of transparent decision-making, and the exclusion of statutory bodies such as the convocation and the Student Representative Council (SRC) from governance processes.
The convocation reiterated Pezisa’s earlier claim that key decisions, such as the vice-chancellor’s post-retirement contract, the appointment of executive directors, and student affairs matters, were taken without consultation or adherence to governance principles.
“Why was the Vice-Chancellor’s post-retirement contract extended by 16 months when the terms of reference clearly state 12 months? They say they are waiting for a legal opinion, but that’s unnecessary. It’s simply poor governance,” Pezisa asserted.
He further accused Buhlungu of being “arrogant and detached” from the Fort Hare community, claiming that his leadership style has eroded trust and unity at the university.
“The Vice-chancellor does not have love for the University of Fort Hare. He is here to destroy what was built before him,” Pezisa said.
“He must leave us alone so that we can rebuild and protect what this university stands for.”
Pezisa became emphatic in his call for the VC’s removal, repeating that “he must leave” and insisting that his continued presence was divisive.
“He must leave. He must not go, he must leave,” Pezisa said firmly, drawing a sharp line between resignation and removal.
“We don’t believe in the allegations alone, but we believe in what we see, under his leadership, corruption and maladministration have taken place. He worked, yes, but now it is time for him to go.”
Pezisa claimed that under Buhlungu’s watch, key officials implicated in corruption were appointed, including former Director of Investigations and Security Isaac Plaatjies and Human Resources head Dr Paul Tladi, both of whom have faced serious allegations.
“That’s why we are saying he is tired, he must leave,” Pezisa said. “A young vice-chancellor is needed to take Fort Hare forward.”
Citing Section 44 of the Higher Education Act, the convocation called on Manamela to appoint an independent assessor to investigate the state of governance, management, and financial administration at Fort Hare.
The proposed probe, according to the Convocation, would focus on assessing the functionality and effectiveness of the university council and executive management, the transparency of financial and procurement processes, and the management of student governance structures, including financial aid and accommodation systems.
It would also investigate the exclusion of key statutory stakeholders such as the convocation and SRC from decision-making, as well as evaluate the overall institutional culture and how it affects academic stability and integrity.
“The process must be independent, transparent, and time-bound,” the convocation said.
“Its findings should inform structural reform, including, where necessary, the reconstitution of council and a review of the vice-chancellor’s post-retirement contract.”
Pezisa and the convocation have also raised alarms over the exclusion of alumni from university affairs and the loss of critical archives following the fire that gutted the administration building in Alice.
“We have asked management whether the archives, including alumni and convocation records dating back to the first graduation in 1924, have been backed up, but they never gave us answers,” Pezisa said.
The statement added that the lack of access to alumni data has “crippled the convocation’s ability to engage with its members, mobilise support, and fulfil its constitutional mandate.”
While condemning the recent acts of vandalism and destruction of property during student unrest, the convocation said such incidents were “symptoms of deeper institutional dysfunction” rooted in failed leadership and a breakdown of trust.
“De-escalation cannot mean a return to the status quo,” the convocation said. “It must mark the beginning of genuine reform and inclusive governance.”
The convocation commended the intervention of the provincial leadership and parliament’s portfolio committee on higher education, whose chairperson, Letsie, visited both the East London and Alice campuses on Monday to collect a memorandum of student demands.
In addition, the statement outlined several urgent steps to restore order and accountability at the institution.
These include the appointment of an independent assessor under the Higher Education Act, the immediate restoration of stakeholder platforms to promote inclusive governance, the recovery and accessibility of alumni and convocation records to ensure full participation, and the implementation of governance reforms guided by the assessor’s recommendations.
Pezisa said that the university stands at a defining moment that demands courageous leadership and structural reform.
“Fort Hare needs new leadership, a young vice-chancellor who will restore integrity and love for this university,” he said.
“Until such reform is achieved, the convocation will continue to speak truth to power in defence of our alma mater and its proud legacy.”
INSIDE EDUCATION
