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By Johnathan Paoli
The University of Fort Hare’s Alice campus in the Eastern Cape descended into chaos on Wednesday night as violent protests erupted this week, leaving two students injured and several campus buildings in flames.
Tensions initially boiled over on Tuesday after the university announced plans to appoint an interim Student Representative Council (SRC) while amending the institution’s student governance constitution.
Students rejected the move, demanding that the amendments be overseen by a democratically elected SRC. The unrest escalated as demonstrators clashed with security and police.
“There is chaos that has erupted on campus. Students were fighting with Falcon Security, allegedly assisted by police officers. They shot students using real bullets here in Alice Campus. One student was shot on the left knee, and another just above the heart near the shoulder,” student leader Uzusiphe Vuzane told journalists.
Both injured students were taken to hospital.
Fellow students insist they were shot with live ammunition, a claim that has heightened tensions between protesters, security personnel, and law enforcement. Police have not yet confirmed whether live rounds were fired.
The clashes were followed by acts of arson.
Protesters allegedly set fire to the university’s administration and Student Affairs buildings in retaliation, sending plumes of smoke across the historic campus.
By late afternoon, firefighters had been deployed to contain the blaze, but the full extent of the damage is not yet known.
At the heart of the protest is dissatisfaction with university leadership and governance.
Students are not only resisting the interim SRC plan but are also calling for the removal of Vice-Chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu.
They accuse him of undermining student democracy by pushing ahead with governance amendments without an elected student body in place.
“An interim SRC is not student-centered. Those people are not democratically elected, they are installed by management. They will definitely be controlled by the management, and they will not be bothered about serving students,” said student leader Asonele Magwaxaza.
The university has defended its decision, saying the move was necessary to ensure continuity while amendments to the SRC constitution are finalised.
Spokesperson Jean Pierre Roodt stressed that free elections would be held once the process was complete.
“In relation to the SRC, it was the university council that established an interim SRC while the SRC constitution is being finalised, and free elections will follow,” Roodt said.
He dismissed allegations that the institution’s security was inadequate, adding that statistically, crime is trending down, with each night and day shift having 64 guards patrolling.
Meanwhile, academic activities at the Alice Campus have been severely disrupted.
On-campus classes have been suspended, although some online classes continue. With key administrative buildings damaged and tensions still simmering, the disruptions are expected to persist.
Police presence at the university remained heavy on Wednesday evening, as officers sought to restore calm amid sporadic clashes with protesting students.
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