Council acts before the resignation takes effect
The University of Fort Hare has dismissed vice-chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu after an independent disciplinary hearing found him guilty of serious misconduct. The decision was announced on 22 October, one day before the end of the shortened notice period that had followed his resignation.
Council chair Dr Siyanda Makaula said the university’s governing body considered the hearing chairperson’s findings and recommendation before resolving to terminate Buhlungu’s employment. The distinction between resignation and dismissal matters here: the university had previously insisted that disciplinary proceedings continue during the notice period.
What the hearing found — and what it did not
The hearing found that appointments to the university’s management executive committee had been made without the institutional consultation and council approval required under section 19.1 of the university statute. A second finding concerned public statements that the disciplinary chair concluded had brought the institution into disrepute.
The hearing did not uphold a third allegation of insubordination. The council nevertheless accepted the recommendation that the two proven counts were sufficiently serious to justify dismissal. These are employment-disciplinary findings; they should not be confused with a criminal conviction.
Buhlungu had challenged the fairness of the disciplinary process in earlier resignation correspondence, according to prior reporting. The university disputed those assertions. Neither side’s position should be treated as an independent finding on the other’s motives.
A transition at a university already under pressure
Buhlungu led Fort Hare from 2017. He was placed on precautionary suspension in March 2026 while questions about executive appointments were investigated, and submitted his resignation in September. Council shortened his notice period to 23 October while keeping the hearing in place.
The institution has named Professor Wezile Chitha as incoming vice-chancellor and principal, with a planned start on 1 January 2027. The university’s immediate challenge is to maintain teaching and administration while rebuilding confidence in its governance processes.
Fort Hare’s long academic and political history gives its leadership changes national significance. The more enduring measure of this decision will be whether the institution can demonstrate consistent rules, fair process and stable management beyond one officeholder.
Sources and verification
University council communiqué reported by TimesLIVE, 22 October 2026: Read source ↗
SABC News, 22 October 2026: dismissal and incoming vice-chancellor: Read source ↗
Eyewitness News, 22 October 2026: disciplinary findings and timeline: Read source ↗
