Cape Town - Eastern Cape police say they are working around the clock and will not rest until they apprehend the suspects behind an assassination attempt on University of Fort Hare (UFH) vice-chancellor professor Sakhela Buhlungu, whose executive bodyguard was shot dead in a hail of bullets.
Provincial police commissioner Nomthetheleli Mene has ordered an immediate arrest of the suspects who killed the 52-year-old driver, Mboneli Vesele, at about 8.20pm on Friday.
At the time of the incident the vice-chancellor was not in the tinted vehicle, but in his house as he had been dropped off earlier.
The passenger’s side where Buhlungu would have been seated was also shot at.
Buhlungu was moved from his official residence in Alice to a safe location at the weekend.
Eastern Cape police spokesperson Tembinkosi Kinana said: “The SAPS were alerted to the shooting incident by members of the public. On arrival at the scene, they found the body of the deceased in the vehicle.
“According to the report, the driver was arriving at the home of the vice-chancellor, when an unknown vehicle with unidentified occupants approached.
“The suspects started firing gunshots at the driver. The vice-chancellor was not in the car. The suspects later escaped in their getaway vehicle. Police have registered a murder case for investigation,” said Kinana.
What is believed to be the getaway vehicle had a false number and was stolen. It was found by police. Kinana said the circumstances leading to the incident would also form part of the investigation. No one has been arrested.
“We shall not sleep nor rest until these cold-blooded criminals are found,” said Mene.
University spokesperson JP Roodt said management informed Vesele’s family and next of kin about the incident and were providing support.
Dr Nosisa Mayaba, acting DVC of institutional support was at the family’s residence in Qonce.
Roodt said they were aware that pictures and videos which were taken at the scene of the bullet-riddled vehicle were circulating on social media.
“Out of respect for Mr Vesele and his family, and to preserve his dignity, we ask that the UFH community refrains from disseminating these visuals.”
Trauma and counselling services are expected to be provided to Vesele’s family, students and staff.
Buhlungu’s vision of a clean governance through clamping down on entrenched corruption and fraud at the embattled institution is believed to be one of the reasons for the latest incident. Last year police opened cases of attempted murder after gunmen fired shots at Buhlungu and a senior official’s home in March.
Fears also grew among senior staff when university fleet manager Petrus Roets was killed in Gonubie.
Buhlungu has been working with the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) with the aim of having a clean administration and governance.
President Cyril Ramaphosa authorised a probe into the institution’s affairs including allegations of corruption and maladministration and to recover any financial losses suffered by the state through corruption and negligence.
This also included the awarding of honours degrees and four tenders at the university. In 2019 the university had to be placed under administration.
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande expressed outrage: “I outrightly condemn this barbaric murder of Mr Vesele and the attempt on the life of Prof Buhlungu.
“This attack is not only an attack on the University of Fort Hare but also an attack on the entire post-school education and training sector.
“I also encourage all the vice-chancellors and TVET college principals to engage with my department on all security related issues to enable us to engage with the Cabinet Security Cluster, particularly on security concerns that have an impact on the institutions’ ability to perform their duties.”
Universities South Africa (USAf) chairperson Professor Sibongile Muthwa said as vice-chancellors, they were deeply saddened by the incident.
“Reports which indicate that this might have been an attempt on the life of our colleague, Prof Buhlungu, are hugely shocking. We condemn in the strongest possible terms the violence being meted out repeatedly on the senior management at Fort Hare, and at others in several of our campuses in recent years.”
Muthwa also sent messages of condolences to everyone affected including Vesele’s family and to the family of Roets.
Many universities including Rhodes and the Nelson Mandela University have also sent their messages of condolences and expressed their shock.
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane said: “The incident occurs just a day after the gruesome murder of four members of the Tshwane family in Qumbu.
As citizens of this province, we cannot allow violent criminals to terrorise us in this way.
We place our trust on law enforcement to nip this in the bud. I have engaged the provincial Commissioner and called for investigation of these incidents. Perpetrators of these crimes must be brought before the criminal justice system.”
Anyone with information that can lead to the arrest of the suspects can anonymously contact the Alice police station or call the Crime Stop number 08600 10111.
Cape Times