Parliament, Thursday, 9 October 2025 – The Select Committee on Education, Sciences and the Creative Industries has noted with sadness the violent protests at the University of Fort Hare that have resulted in the academic programme being abruptly halted.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Makhi Feni, said the committee condemns what looks like an orchestrated plan with the uttermost disgust.
He said: “The actions of burning public benefit institutions for no apparent reason sets back poor students, and university infrastructure development by years. In this age, where we are talking about lack of accommodation challenges despite government efforts, students resort to this kind of behaviour. This is unacceptable.”
“We are disappointed by the level of vandalism that seems to be happening down there in Fort Hare University. It is said that we had thought the university had successfully shaken its tag of being the most infamous and violent institution.”
On Wednesday, the students at Fort Hare burnt the entire administration building to ground following days of protests for what students labelled as “demanding their democratic representation through an SRC”.
Mr Feni said the demand was so ludicrous and ill-timed so as to deliberately sabotage the examinations, for which the student so need the energy they are wasting on protests.
“It is unfortunate that we find ourselves regressing when Fort Hare University has improved on so many aspects including research output, governance, programme offerings and many more. Universities are places to grow and be intellectually empowered, the University of Fort Hare students have sadly opted to be an anti-thesis of that.”
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, SCIENCES AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES, MR MAKHI FENI.
For media inquiries or interviews with the Chairperson, please contact the committee’s Media Officer:
Name: Sibongile Maputi (Mr)
Cell: 081 052 6060
E-mail: smaputi@parliament.gov.za
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