Recent attacks on members of the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (Daso) at the University of Fort Hare appear to be part of a broader plan to sabotage, frustrate and kick the official opposition’s student wing out of the university.
The institution’s registrar, Professor Mike Somniso, was this week blamed as the man spearheading the campaign.
The plan to attack Daso members by unleashing uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) veterans on students on the university’s Alice campus, emerged from a recorded conversation between two of the university’s senior administrators.
The clip appears to have been recorded by students on May 23 – hours before the launch of the university’s centenary celebration in Alice.
The voices in the recording are believed to be those of Somniso discussing the plan with corporate affairs director Zintle Filtane.
Throughout the conversation Filtane sounded shocked and kept asking for clarity and further explanation.
Somniso could not be reached for comment yesterday. No responses were received from him at the time of writing, to a voice message left on his mobile phone and a text message.
The university confirmed the voices on the clip were those of Somniso and Filtane.
Vice-Chancellor Mvuyo Tom however distanced the university community from the plan, which included sabotaging and disrupting every Daso event scheduled for the Alice campus.
This would be done to discredit and make sure that the newly elected student leadership structure was disbanded.
Alice residents would also be bused to the campus to attack Daso members, and military veterans used if it came to push.
Somniso ostensibly planned to approach Tom to ask him to fire the Dean of Students, Brian Gallant, because he was regarded as a DA sympathiser.
“I was going to ask VC to remove Brian because he’s DA,” Somniso is heard saying.
In his briefing, peppered with expletives, Somniso vows that the DA would not operate within the university.
“If we sabotage DA programmes in the institution they will be sh***ng themselves. They can’t operate here. We must make sure that their executive is disbanded; let’s interrupt everything,” he said.
“I have my own plan, we as people of Dikeni , we said we’re going to address this from outside because if we address this from inside, this will compromise me.
“As the registrar of the university, I must not be seen as siding with one side. When we have such an event, we will use buses with residents from outside, they will be our part.
“We’ve all planned this outside, not here in the university. This doesn’t need a university plan,” Somniso is heard to say.
Asked by Filtane what role Sasco would play in the plan, Somniso appears to dismiss them.
“Sasco is is dead. They don’t have leadership. We will invite Sasco members to join us in community initiative as residents.
“No DA event will go on (as) normal here.”
Tom distanced the university community from such a plan, saying he had never instructed Somniso to craft such a strategy as students of all political persuasions were welcome at the University of Fort Hare.
He added that Somniso was acting in his personal capacity.
“Those are indeed our voices with Prof Somniso. If you listen carefully, prof is clear that this is not a university matter and that this is a community plan,” said Filtane.
“Further and contrary to your assertion that the vice-chancellor had been told to remove Mr Gallant, Prof Somniso actually says he will speak to the VC, there are no plans therefore to remove Mr Gallant.
“There is no discrimination on the basis of political affiliation. Mr Gallant, along with the rest of the UFH staff and students, is free to associate with any political party of his choice without fear.”
The attacks on Daso students was first reported to the university on June 5 by DA provincial leader Athol Trollip in a letter to Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle.
In the letter Trollip, after detailing allegations of intimidation, assault and even death threats against their members, requested Masualle to intervene.
Three months after writing the letter, which he copied to the provincial police commissioner Celiwe Binta, Trollip has yet to receive a response.
Masualle’s spokeswoman, Nomfanelo Kota, confirmed that the premier had received the letter.
“As a result the OTP’s office is dealing with the university rector, otherwise this is condemned. Our higher education institutions should be home to all people regardless of their political affiliation.”
The recording was made hours after Sasco members clashed with Daso members which left the DA’s shadow minister for higher education, Yusuf Cassim, injured. Cassim yesterday confirmed the May attack.
“I attended that in my capacity as shadow minister of higher education. Angry students being exploited by the university started disrupting the event.
“I was attacked by Sasco and Pasma leaders. Management then came to beg me to calm the students down.
“I did so under the condition that they agree to meet with the SRC and resolve the issues,” said Cassim.
While denying any knowledge of the plan, Filtane also said Somniso was acting only in his personal capacity.
“He says it is a community plan, which has never been executed because no Daso programme was ever reported sabotaged.
“Any other matter regarding Prof Somniso can be answered by him directly in his capacity as a member of the community and not as registrar,” said Filtane.
Tom promised to investigate the allegations against Somniso, saying he could be called before the university’s disciplinary committee.
AUDIO: Plot to destroy Daso at Ft Hare
The institution’s registrar, Professor Mike Somniso, was this week blamed as the man spearheading the campaign.
The plan to attack Daso members by unleashing uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) veterans on students on the university’s Alice campus, emerged from a recorded conversation between two of the university’s senior administrators.
The clip appears to have been recorded by students on May 23 – hours before the launch of the university’s centenary celebration in Alice.
The voices in the recording are believed to be those of Somniso discussing the plan with corporate affairs director Zintle Filtane.
Throughout the conversation Filtane sounded shocked and kept asking for clarity and further explanation.
Somniso could not be reached for comment yesterday. No responses were received from him at the time of writing, to a voice message left on his mobile phone and a text message.
The university confirmed the voices on the clip were those of Somniso and Filtane.
Vice-Chancellor Mvuyo Tom however distanced the university community from the plan, which included sabotaging and disrupting every Daso event scheduled for the Alice campus.
This would be done to discredit and make sure that the newly elected student leadership structure was disbanded.
Alice residents would also be bused to the campus to attack Daso members, and military veterans used if it came to push.
Somniso ostensibly planned to approach Tom to ask him to fire the Dean of Students, Brian Gallant, because he was regarded as a DA sympathiser.
“I was going to ask VC to remove Brian because he’s DA,” Somniso is heard saying.
In his briefing, peppered with expletives, Somniso vows that the DA would not operate within the university.
“If we sabotage DA programmes in the institution they will be sh***ng themselves. They can’t operate here. We must make sure that their executive is disbanded; let’s interrupt everything,” he said.
“I have my own plan, we as people of Dikeni , we said we’re going to address this from outside because if we address this from inside, this will compromise me.
“As the registrar of the university, I must not be seen as siding with one side. When we have such an event, we will use buses with residents from outside, they will be our part.
“We’ve all planned this outside, not here in the university. This doesn’t need a university plan,” Somniso is heard to say.
Asked by Filtane what role Sasco would play in the plan, Somniso appears to dismiss them.
“Sasco is is dead. They don’t have leadership. We will invite Sasco members to join us in community initiative as residents.
“No DA event will go on (as) normal here.”
Tom distanced the university community from such a plan, saying he had never instructed Somniso to craft such a strategy as students of all political persuasions were welcome at the University of Fort Hare.
He added that Somniso was acting in his personal capacity.
“Those are indeed our voices with Prof Somniso. If you listen carefully, prof is clear that this is not a university matter and that this is a community plan,” said Filtane.
“Further and contrary to your assertion that the vice-chancellor had been told to remove Mr Gallant, Prof Somniso actually says he will speak to the VC, there are no plans therefore to remove Mr Gallant.
“There is no discrimination on the basis of political affiliation. Mr Gallant, along with the rest of the UFH staff and students, is free to associate with any political party of his choice without fear.”
The attacks on Daso students was first reported to the university on June 5 by DA provincial leader Athol Trollip in a letter to Eastern Cape premier Phumulo Masualle.
In the letter Trollip, after detailing allegations of intimidation, assault and even death threats against their members, requested Masualle to intervene.
Three months after writing the letter, which he copied to the provincial police commissioner Celiwe Binta, Trollip has yet to receive a response.
Masualle’s spokeswoman, Nomfanelo Kota, confirmed that the premier had received the letter.
“As a result the OTP’s office is dealing with the university rector, otherwise this is condemned. Our higher education institutions should be home to all people regardless of their political affiliation.”
The recording was made hours after Sasco members clashed with Daso members which left the DA’s shadow minister for higher education, Yusuf Cassim, injured. Cassim yesterday confirmed the May attack.
“I attended that in my capacity as shadow minister of higher education. Angry students being exploited by the university started disrupting the event.
“I was attacked by Sasco and Pasma leaders. Management then came to beg me to calm the students down.
“I did so under the condition that they agree to meet with the SRC and resolve the issues,” said Cassim.
While denying any knowledge of the plan, Filtane also said Somniso was acting only in his personal capacity.
“He says it is a community plan, which has never been executed because no Daso programme was ever reported sabotaged.
“Any other matter regarding Prof Somniso can be answered by him directly in his capacity as a member of the community and not as registrar,” said Filtane.
Tom promised to investigate the allegations against Somniso, saying he could be called before the university’s disciplinary committee.
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