Fort Hare University vice-chancellor dismissed in South Africa — TimesLIVE

The Council of the University of Fort Hare in South Africa has dismissed Vice-Chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu with immediate effect. The decision was made following an independent disciplinary hearing, at which the chairperson found him guilty on two counts of misconduct, TimesLIVE reports.

Irregularities in appointments

According to the university council, the first charge concerned a breach of section 19.1 of the institutional statute. It involved appointing members of the executive management committee without the required internal consultations and council approval.

The second charge concerned statements made by Buhlungu to the media which, according to the disciplinary hearing’s findings, harmed the institution’s reputation. At the same time, he was found not guilty of a separate charge of insubordination.

Resignation did not halt the hearing

In a communiqué dated October 21, council chair Dr Siyanda Makaula said that the independent chairperson of the hearing had recommended Buhlungu’s dismissal. In the chairperson’s assessment, the established misconduct, taking aggravating circumstances into account, was serious enough to qualify as gross misconduct.

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The council also considered Buhlungu’s subsequent non-participation in the disciplinary process as an aggravating circumstance. In the council’s view, this, together with the findings of his guilt, undermined the trust necessary to continue the employment relationship between the university and the vice-chancellor.

Buhlungu was precautionarily suspended from his post from March 30 following an investigation by auditing firm Morar Auditors into the appointment of two executive directors. In September, he submitted his resignation before beginning to present his defence at the hearing.

Initially, the council did not agree to his immediate departure from office, citing the notice period stipulated in his contract. It was later reduced to October 23, but the disciplinary process continued. The final decision ended the employment relationship two days earlier.