By Jimmy Zwane
Alice, Eastern Cape — The University of Fort Hare (UFH) has obtained an interim interdict from the Bhisho High Court against ten students accused of leading violent protests at its Alice and East London campuses, as tensions at the historic institution show no signs of abating.
The court order, granted on Wednesday, prohibits the named students from organising protests, disrupting academic activities, or intimidating staff and other students. This follows a week of unrest that has seen buildings torched, roads barricaded, and operations on both campuses brought to a standstill.
According to the interdict, the students are “interdicted and restrained from participating in, encouraging, facilitating and/or promoting any unlawful activities within the university’s premises.” The respondents are expected to return to court on 21 October, where they must argue why the interdict should not be made permanent.
Protest Demands
The protests, which began earlier this month, have been fuelled by student demands that include the immediate resignation of Vice-Chancellor Prof Sakhela Buhlungu, whom they accuse of corruption and overstaying his term after the university council extended his tenure beyond retirement age.
Other demands include:
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Reinstatement of suspended students and workers
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Permanent employment for members of the local community
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The removal of senior managers deemed “incompetent” by student leaders
Student protesters have burned tyres, blocked access routes, and set fire to the staff centre in Alice. At least eight students have been arrested in connection with the violence.
Arrests and Damage
The arrested students appeared in the Alice Magistrate’s Court last week and were released on warning, according to National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Luxolo Tyali. They are due back in court on 26 November.
Police have ramped up visibility on both campuses. Police spokesperson Lt-Col Siphokazi Mawisa confirmed that one student was injured after jumping from a bridge during the chaos on Tuesday.
The university has estimated the total cost of the damage to be between R250 million and R500 million, according to UFH spokesperson JP Roodt. Among the damaged infrastructure are academic buildings, administrative offices, and student support facilities.
“A detailed assessment is now underway by the university,” Roodt said. “Given the escalation of violence on the Alice campus, it is no longer safe for students and staff to live, work, or learn on campus.”
He confirmed that all students have been instructed to vacate university residences by 5pm on Thursday, and all academic activities have been suspended until further notice.
University Cites “Sponsored Violence”
Roodt said the scale and nature of the destruction indicate that the protests go beyond ordinary student grievances.
“The latest developments, including the large-scale destruction of property, suggest we are dealing with much larger issues — with a significant component of sponsored violence and criminality,” he said.
Parliament Condemns Destruction
The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation has condemned the unrest, describing the destruction of public education facilities as “orchestrated” and “regressive”.
Committee Chairperson Makhi Feni said: “The actions of burning public benefit institutions for no apparent reason set back poor students and university infrastructure development by years.”
He added that students’ behaviour was undermining national efforts to address issues like student accommodation shortages, and called for swift intervention to restore order.
The university’s leadership has expressed its commitment to resuming normal operations once the security situation stabilises, and is continuing to work with law enforcement and stakeholders to de-escalate tensions.
For now, the University of Fort Hare — one of South Africa’s most historically significant institutions — remains caught in a deepening crisis at the intersection of governance, protest, and alleged criminal interference.
