By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The University of Fort Hare (UFH) vice-chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu has been dismissed, just two days before he was due to vacate his position.
Buhlungu had resigned after nearly six months on precautionary suspension, saying his relationship with the university council had “broken down irretrievably”.
The suspension, imposed on 30 March 2026, stemmed from procedural irregularities in the appointment of two executive directors, a matter that had spiralled into a protracted disciplinary process.
His suspension exposed widening rifts in the council. In April, senior council members Professor Judy Favish and Kuselwa Marala warned of a “governance crisis”, citing procedural irregularities, contested authority and escalating factionalism.
They argued that the disciplinary process against Buhlungu had been mishandled and that the council was divided over whether suspension was justified, especially given that Buhlungu had disclosed the appointment issue and initiated corrective steps.
However the university council rejected his resignation, saying that it had reserved the right to continue with the disciplinary process during the applicable notice period in accordance with the university’s employee relations policy.
In a communiqué issued on Wednesday, 21 October 2026, the council said Buhlungu had been found guilty of two counts of misconduct and a further count of insubordination.
The first misconduct charge related to the appointment of members of the management executive committee without the required institutional consultation and council approval. The allegations included the unauthorised appointment of two executive directors.
The second charge concerned conduct that brought the university into disrepute through what the council described as “disparaging statements made in the media”.
The council said the additional finding of insubordination, together with the other misconduct findings, had further undermined the trust and confidence required to sustain the employment relationship.
“Council determined that these aggravating circumstances, considered together with the findings of guilt, further undermined the trust and confidence necessary to sustain the employment relationship between the university and its vice-chancellor,” the communiqué read.
Professor Wezile Chitha has been appointed as the incoming vice-chancellor and principal, with his term officially beginning on January 1, 2027.
Buhlungu’s departure brings to an end a turbulent chapter in Fort Hare’s recent history. Since his appointment in 2017, he became the face of an anti‑corruption drive that exposed procurement irregularities, governance failures and criminal networks allegedly operating in the institution.
His tenure was marked by Special Investigating Unit (SIU) investigations, violent intimidation and the murders of individuals linked to corruption probes.
Supporters hailed him as a reformer confronting entrenched interests. Critics accused him of governance lapses and deepening tension with the council.