Fort Hare: Dysfunctional council calls for Nzimande’s intervention

Dr Blade Nzimande met with the council and stakeholders of the University of Fort Hare (UFH) on Friday for a follow-up engagement and a press briefing.

His visit comes after months of turmoil at the institution, with the university dealing with questionable academic fraud, murder and assassination attempts.

Fort Hare grievances

Addressing the media on Friday, Nzimande said the audit and risk committee raised several issues, including illegal cyber surveillance at Fort Hare.

Detailed security reports were also not submitted regularly.

In addition, the university’s convocation voiced concerns over a perceived lack of effective engagement with alumni.

The convocation felt excluded from the university management and council’s efforts against corruption, hence they demanded greater inclusivity.

Academic fraud

They also called for a full and independent investigation into cases of alleged academic fraud.

In May, Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane was allegedly embroiled in a scandal over his attempt to fake his way into a PhD programme in public administration at UFH.

Mabuyane, who insists he earned his master’s degree fairly, filed court papers earlier this month to interdict the SIU from investigating his qualification.

However, he later amended the court paper, requesting that the SIU investigations omit his master’s degree.

READ: SIU and Ramaphosa dealt a blow as court interdicts Mabuyane investigation

Fort hare governance

Meanwhile, Advocate Andile Mini, the Convocation chairperson, highlighted the need to address the issue of governance.

He said the university must examine how structures – such as organised labour and the student representative council – can join forces to “maintain the university’s standards”.

Further grievances were aired regarding the Council’s performance.

Mini said: “We will also be raising sharply the dysfunctionality of the council. We don’t believe that it is living up to the task.

“We don’t believe that it is currently fulfilling its judiciary mandate.”

The way forward

Nzimande said he presented all these issues to the council and requested their attention.

Encouragingly though, the council has expressed similar concerns, particularly given that the last two meetings were not held.

They have pledged to notify Nzimande if they are unable to secure a facilitator for the upcoming meeting, offering a positive outlook on the situation.