By Thapelo Molefe
The University of Fort Hare’s Alice Campus is currently shut down due to ongoing student protests.
Students have been demonstrating against the university’s administration, demanding answers about accommodation, allowances, and registration problems.
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The shutdown comes just days after the university publicly indicated it was ready for the 2026 academic year, reporting a generally smooth registration process and confirming that the academic programme had officially started on 2 February.
The protests, led by the Young Brightest Motivated Minds (YBMM) student organisation, have brought academic activity at the campus to a halt, with entrances closed and students mobilised at key points on campus, including the Poolside area near the Old Student Centre and the main gate.
Central to the unrest is a 22-point Memorandum of Demands. The memorandum cites long-standing issues, including unpaid meal and book allowances, unregistered students, lack of permanent accommodation, electricity outages in residences, and administrative delays affecting quota and postgraduate students.
“The failure to address these matters has severely compromised students’ academic participation, safety, dignity, and overall well-being,” the memorandum states.
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It demands an immediate postponement of all academic activities until the issues are resolved, as well as the provision of data and laptops, permanent electricity in Mzana residences, and extensions of registration and academic deadlines.
Other demands include residence renovations, working lights and heaters, hot water, 24-hour security, new beds and curtains, disability-friendly infrastructure, and the resolution of the Animal Science degree issue.
Students also call for the insourcing of cleaners and security staff, an end to irregular appointments, and protection of student leaders from victimisation.
“Proceeding with the academic year under these conditions is unjust, unreasonable, and discriminatory against poor and working-class students,” the memorandum reads.
YBMM first announced a mass demonstration rejecting the university’s official academic opening on Monday, saying that it was “unconscionable” for management to proceed with ceremonial events while students were struggling to secure basic necessities.
“This collective action has become necessary because several critical and long standing student issues remain unresolved, despite repeated calls for urgent attention and dialogue,” the organisation said in a statement.
Students gathered in large numbers and marched to demand that Vice-Chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu receive the memorandum. However, tensions escalated after the vice-chancellor did not appear to meet them in person.
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YBMM expressed “deep disappointment” when the official academic opening was moved online, accusing the vice-chancellor of avoiding direct engagement during a crisis.
“Seven hours later of students repeatedly pleading and attempting to negotiate with the vice-chancellor, he still remains resistant to take heed of the urgent grievances raised by students,” YBMM said.
The situation intensified when students moved their demonstration to the main gate, vowing not to disperse until management agreed to meet them “halfway through constructive dialogue”. Police were deployed on campus to monitor and mediate, but the standoff persisted.
Among the key demands was the immediate payment of book allowances. On Tuesday, YBMM confirmed that book allowances had been loaded for qualifying students, describing it as a direct result of sustained pressure and collective action.
“This is proof that unity and struggle yield results,” the organisation said.
“However, the shutdown continues until the vice-chancellor comes down to formally receive the memorandum of demands and all outstanding demands are fully met.”
Despite this partial breakthrough, YBMM announced that the shutdown would not only continue but be intensified.
In its latest statement, the organisation said it would now seek to strengthen the shutdown “through the powers of the SRC” to consolidate student struggles under a unified structure representing the broader student body.
“We still see the need for the shutdown to continue as the university continues to show no sense of urgency to deal with these issues,” YBMM said.
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“This decision has been taken to strengthen the shutdown and ensure that it carries greater impact, unity and effectiveness across the university.”
The shutdown has had knock on effects. The Economic Freedom Fighters Youth Command Alice branch announced that the distribution of Intellimali cards could not proceed due to the disruption on campus.
YBMM has further alleged that the university’s ICT department had been mandated to limit WiFi access to social media platforms and that threatening emails referencing a court order were circulated, which students view as attempts to discourage protest. These claims have not yet been publicly addressed by university management.
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