By Linda Nordling
Researchers at the University of Fort Hare in South Africa are grappling with significant setbacks after protest-related fires destroyed vital laboratories, equipment, research data, and years’ worth of samples.
The fires broke out on 7 October, during the second day of student protests focused on university governance issues. According to a university statement released on 10 October, several key buildings were destroyed, including the main administration block, the student affairs office, the agriculture faculty, and a newly built campus clinic.
The agriculture faculty, which had recently undergone a R20 million (US$1.1 million) lab renovation, suffered particularly severe losses. Students have been advised to stay off the Alice campus, but the university has assured them they will still be able to complete the academic year.
“This is heartbreaking—we are devastated,” said Professor Linda Sibali, Dean of Science and Agriculture. “Our entire academic programme has been disrupted. While some teaching can shift online, how do we replace practical sessions, specialised equipment, and years of irreplaceable research samples?”
Professor Ishmael Jaja from the same faculty reported that valuable crop samples and long-term research data were destroyed. “In pasture science alone, we’ve lost five to six years of research and equipment worth over R15 million,” he said.
The university estimates the total cost of the damage to be between R300 million and R500 million. Officials say it could take up to two years to fully rebuild the affected facilities.
Governance Crisis Deepens
Founded in 1916, the University of Fort Hare is one of South Africa’s oldest and most historically significant institutions, known for educating prominent figures such as Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo. However, in recent years, the university has been plagued by governance issues, including violent incidents linked to internal corruption investigations.
In January 2023, a gunman targeting Vice-Chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu’s vehicle fatally shot his bodyguard, Mboneli Vesele. Two suspects believed to be involved in the assassination attempt were arrested in June 2025.
Recent student protests have included calls for Buhlungu’s removal and disputes surrounding student council elections. However, concerns have been raised that the demonstrations may have been hijacked by outside agitators.
Higher Education Deputy Minister Buti Manamela told Parliament’s Select Committee on Education, Science, and the Creative Industries on 14 October that the protests could have been “infiltrated by criminal elements who may or may not be students.”
Manamela added that his department had dispatched a team to the university to assess the situation and prioritise restoring academic activities. “The immediate focus is to resume teaching and learning and get the academic year back on track,” he said.
