Fort Hare University Scandal: Arrests Uncover Internal Corruption and Link to Murders

In a shocking revelation, it has emerged that at least four of the 15 detainees in a recent high-profile crime investigation at the University of Fort Hare were individuals previously suspended by the educational institution. These arrests, made over the Easter weekend, shed light on the extent of an internal network believed to be connected to a series of murders and other criminal activities on campus.

The University of Fort Hare has been embroiled in a scandal that has gripped the nation, with recent police operations leading to the arrest of six university employees, including senior management staff, spanning across four South African provinces. Notably among those apprehended are members from the university’s finance, supply chain, and human resource departments.

An insider divulged to Sowetan that the allegations against these individuals are serious and multifaceted, including the falsification of qualifications and misuse of university resources for personal gain. Furthermore, several of the arrested service providers are allegedly connected to the university's directorate of human resources and the security and protection services.

The suspects are facing serious charges, including fraud, corruption, kidnapping, murder, and attempted murder. The cases are so severe and linked to the very fabric of the university's operations that the first to go before the Dimbaza magistrate’s court today will inevitably attract intense public scrutiny.

National police spokesperson, Brig Athlenda Mathe, has confirmed the charges relate to the tragic fatalities of Petrus Roets, the university's fleet manager, and Mboneli Vesele, the bodyguard of vice-chancellor Prof Sakhela Buhlungu. Mathe also noted the ongoing risks to high-profile university figures, including Prof Buhlungu and his deputy, amidst the reckless endangerment involving firearms.

These arrests are not isolated incidences, with a history of related detainments tracing back to 2022. The interconnected web of corrupt activities has already seen former employees and alleged hitmen implicated. National police commissioner Gen Fannie Masemola has vowed that the task team responsible for the investigation will persist with their duties without yielding to external pressures.

University spokesperson JP Roodt has acknowledged the significance of the police's actions and emphasized the institution’s commitment to a renewal project, partly prompted by reaching out to the Presidency. The university's collaboration with the Special Investigative Unit (SIU) and the South African Police Service (SAPS) national task team represents a determined effort to cleanse the institution of corruption and violence.

This scandal suggests profound implications for the higher education sector in South Africa, where transparency, accountability, and safety are paramount.