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The South African Communist Party (SACP) unequivocally condemns the destruction of property at the University of Fort Hare Dikeni campus, formerly known as Alice, during students’ protests last week. Students have the responsibility to protect the learning institutions against destruction and to isolate the fringe elements. The full extent of the law must apply to hold accountable all those who were responsible for the destruction of public property. 

The infiltration or capture of learning institutions through certain sections of councils, student bodies, management and academics by extortion mafias, smash-and-grab entrepreneurs and mainstream capitalist private companies must also be investigated, in addition to the previous Special Investigation Unit proclamation. This infiltration has unfolded against the background of neo-liberal restructuring, which resulted in the outsourcing, privatisation and tenderisation of functions once performed by full-time non-academic support staff and by the universities themselves. 

The conversion of learning institutions into fields of capitalist wealth accumulation through neo-liberal restructuring must not be excluded from the focus of the investigation. It is a key factor that has caused major problems at the university and is more likely behind the wanton destruction whose roots are more possibly anchored in the private competition and rivalry it has engendered. 

During the protests, six of the institution’s buildings were set alight, some of which housed crucial artefacts and documents, including examination question papers and unfinalised research papers. Other campus buildings which were torched included the main administrative and student affairs offices at its main Dikeni campus.

A Unesco World Heritage site, Fort Hare University is one of South Africa’s most historic higher education institutions in which many African anti-colonial and anti-apartheid struggle icons, including our very own Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo, studied. It is imperative that all progressive voices in our country should rise up for the preservation of our historical education centre while at the same time dealing with any valid concerns raised by the students, and ensuring that the students do not lose out on educational opportunities moving forward.

The SACP also calls for the urgent addressing of the genuine concerns raised by the students and accountability measures for those involved in the carnage.

The SACP recognises and respects the students’ right to peaceful protests in demand for their rights. We also recognise the need for students’ demands to be amicably resolved without damaging the future of both the institution and students, both present and future.

In the same vein, the SACP condemns the capture of the university by capitalist forces, both those who accumulate through legitimised methods on the back of outsourcing and privatisation, which occurred as a result of neo-liberal restructuring, and those who accumulate via criminal, smash-and-grab capture of tenders or contracts and individuals in governance, management and student population structures. These issues must be openly discussed and a lasting solution found with the involvement of all relevant stakeholders.

Accordingly, over and above, the SACP calls upon the University of Fort Hare Council to earnestly resolve the issues raised by the students, and to do so in a transparent manner. Some of the matters that must be attended to include, but are not limited to, the state of governance and leadership at the institution, the role and status of the Student Representative Council, institutional culture of the university, concerns about the vice-chancellor’s contract, and the demand for the insourcing of workers.

Issued by SACP