Cape Town - As mourners at the memorial service of slain University of Fort Hare University’s (UFH) protection unit member Msingathi Langa spoke out about how they still felt unsafe, chilling details emerged at the bail application of the men accused of two murders and attacks on the institution’s staff.
The bail applications of five men, including former staff members, facing various charges including murder, corruption and fraud continued in the Dimbaza Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.
The court heard about a hit-list with the names of 13 people, of whom two have since been murdered.
A bounty of R5 million was issued for the murder of vice-chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu; R350 000 for fleet manager Petrus Roets, who was killed last year; and R3 million for another senior university member.
All five accused have denied the allegations levelled against them.
Meanwhile, remembering an honourable life during the service on Wednesday , friends, colleagues and the UFH’s top brass described Langa as someone who embodied his surname and shone light in the life of everyone he encountered.
The university also expressed disappointment in the way Langa’s death was handled by police. The 33-year-old protector was killed in a crash on April 30, when a Nissan bakkie rammed into his employment vehicle along Cambridge Road in King William’s Town in the Eastern Cape.
A representative of the protection service said: “Msingathi started working as a driver, something he was doing for a long time.
When the threats started, he and colleague insisted on joining the unit to assist with protection. He was a brilliant soldier who died in the line of duty.”
Langa’s death came three months after Buhlungu’s executive protector, Mboneli Vesele, was murdered in a hail of bullets.
This was amid efforts by the university leadership to rid the institution of corruption.
Buhlungu said the fresh wound caused by Langa’s death came as they still had open wounds from other deaths, and incidents at the university.
He said it could not be that Langa “just died”, and that it was “just a car accident”.
“We are severely wounded as an institution, we have been burying many people. We are ducking bullets instead of ensuring education and going to classes because of people who want to milk the university until it falls down.
“Even though there is already bloodshed, they still want to milk it.
While we are here the men accused of the attacks are in court wanting bail.”
Buhlungu was taken aback about details which the protection team shared where they had to battle with the police to arrest the suspect who allegedly drove the bakkie into the vehicle Langa was in.
“They (the police) didn’t take the bakkie’s registration number, and claimed the driver of the bakkie seemed confused and that he must go home.
Our team went on a manhunt for the suspect and handed him over to the King William’s Town police station.
“Our protection team again fought tooth and nail as it was being suggested that the suspect be released.
Eventually at around 1pm the case was opened after one of the team members contacted a journalist who was fortunately where the minister of police was.
“The case was opened because an order came from above; we don’t know why local police are always dragging their feet or hesitant when it comes to issues involving our university.”
Buhlungu said police owed them and the family an explanation about Langa’s death and incidents thereafter.
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Thembinkosi Kinana did not respond to questions on Wednesday, but had previously encouraged those with concerns and suspicions about the way the crime scene was handled to lodge their complaints with the King William’s Town police station management for an “resolution of the misunderstandings”.
Cape Times