The celebration of a new era of leadership for the University of Fort Hare was marked by chaos yesterday amid protesting employees battling security.
This was when National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) members disrupted the robing of the university’s new chancellor, advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza SC, and vice-chancellor, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu.
The inauguration of the university’s two top leaders at the Alice campus went ahead amid the chanting and protesting of employees.
What began with hype and festivity in UFH’s sports complex hall quickly turned to chaos when the protesters refused to allow the ceremony to proceed. The ceremony was halted when about 120 employees refused to stop making a noise.
Police were called in to control the crowd, and up to 10 police officers stood on the sides ready to intervene.
Three Nehawu leaders, as well as the chairwoman of the UFH council, Thandi Orleyn, addressed the protesting crowd, presenting two options – either allow the ceremony to continue and have management meet with the union’s leadership to resolve and reach an agreement after the ceremony, or for the ceremony to be halted until a resolution was reached.
The unionists opted to halt the event saying they were tired of waiting for UFH to meet their demands.
Nehawu deputy secretary Mzi Lingela said: “We are here for attention. We’ve been waiting for five months for a response.
“The programme stops until this matter is resolved. We want 10% and nothing else.”
Orleyn, who was in charge of the ceremony, was not having it.
She addressed the crowd of 300 dignitaries and students, saying the inauguration would continue while management met with Nehawu leadership to reach an agreement.
“I will inaugurate the chancellor and leave for discussions with the rest of the management, and he will inaugurate the vice-chancellor,” she said.
With that, the celebrations continued in the face of noisy singing from protesters in the gallery.
Ntsebeza was then ushered onto the podium and started delivering the chancellor’s reply, but the volume from the protestors got louder.
Nehawu members moved onto the hall floor, forcefully removing guests and members of the media from their seats while shouting: “Get up! Out the way!” and began folding the chairs to carve a path to the front stage.
Ntsebeza responded: “In view of everything taking place, I will not read my speech. The conditions do not allow me to give a good delivery as I would have liked.
“I hope everyone will enjoy their day, including protesters as they express their democratic rights.”
There was a moment of silence before the UFH choir burst forth with melodic sounds, but then a brawl broke out.
UFH security guards became entangled with the protesters and tried to stop them from reaching the stage.
Finally, the protestors were stopped in their tracks. Suddenly the lights in the hall went out and the sound system was turned off.
Nevertheless, Ntsebeza was not deterred, and he proceeded to inaugurate vice-chancellor Buhlungu.
The chairman of Nehawu at UFH, Vuyani Booi, told the Dispatch later that there was a lack of seriousness and engagement from the university’s side, which had led to the “unfortunate turn of events”.
“This is not what we wanted. It’s mainly because of a lack of commitment from management, as workers have done their best to convince the management that they are earning poor salaries.
“Workers at UFH are the least-paid university employees across the country.
“Nehawu is known to be a responsible union within the institution.”
UFH spokesman Lizo Phiti said it was “unfortunate” that such a historic event was spoilt by protesters.
“The university council and its stakeholders identified these two gentlemen to take the university into the next century.
“The council is fully behind initiatives to making sure that there are amicable solutions to this impasse.
“We commit to sit with union representatives and find a way forward. We are tasked with the leadership and governance of this institution and we will pull out all stops to make sure we go back to normality.” — nonsindisoq@dispatch.co.za
Inauguration ends in chaos: Protesting Nehawu members interrupt robing of new UFH heads
This was when National Education, Health and Allied Workers’ Union (Nehawu) members disrupted the robing of the university’s new chancellor, advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza SC, and vice-chancellor, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu.
The inauguration of the university’s two top leaders at the Alice campus went ahead amid the chanting and protesting of employees.
What began with hype and festivity in UFH’s sports complex hall quickly turned to chaos when the protesters refused to allow the ceremony to proceed. The ceremony was halted when about 120 employees refused to stop making a noise.
Police were called in to control the crowd, and up to 10 police officers stood on the sides ready to intervene.
Three Nehawu leaders, as well as the chairwoman of the UFH council, Thandi Orleyn, addressed the protesting crowd, presenting two options – either allow the ceremony to continue and have management meet with the union’s leadership to resolve and reach an agreement after the ceremony, or for the ceremony to be halted until a resolution was reached.
The unionists opted to halt the event saying they were tired of waiting for UFH to meet their demands.
Nehawu deputy secretary Mzi Lingela said: “We are here for attention. We’ve been waiting for five months for a response.
“The programme stops until this matter is resolved. We want 10% and nothing else.”
Orleyn, who was in charge of the ceremony, was not having it.
She addressed the crowd of 300 dignitaries and students, saying the inauguration would continue while management met with Nehawu leadership to reach an agreement.
“I will inaugurate the chancellor and leave for discussions with the rest of the management, and he will inaugurate the vice-chancellor,” she said.
With that, the celebrations continued in the face of noisy singing from protesters in the gallery.
Ntsebeza was then ushered onto the podium and started delivering the chancellor’s reply, but the volume from the protestors got louder.
Nehawu members moved onto the hall floor, forcefully removing guests and members of the media from their seats while shouting: “Get up! Out the way!” and began folding the chairs to carve a path to the front stage.
Ntsebeza responded: “In view of everything taking place, I will not read my speech. The conditions do not allow me to give a good delivery as I would have liked.
“I hope everyone will enjoy their day, including protesters as they express their democratic rights.”
There was a moment of silence before the UFH choir burst forth with melodic sounds, but then a brawl broke out.
UFH security guards became entangled with the protesters and tried to stop them from reaching the stage.
Finally, the protestors were stopped in their tracks. Suddenly the lights in the hall went out and the sound system was turned off.
Nevertheless, Ntsebeza was not deterred, and he proceeded to inaugurate vice-chancellor Buhlungu.
The chairman of Nehawu at UFH, Vuyani Booi, told the Dispatch later that there was a lack of seriousness and engagement from the university’s side, which had led to the “unfortunate turn of events”.
“This is not what we wanted. It’s mainly because of a lack of commitment from management, as workers have done their best to convince the management that they are earning poor salaries.
“Workers at UFH are the least-paid university employees across the country.
“Nehawu is known to be a responsible union within the institution.”
UFH spokesman Lizo Phiti said it was “unfortunate” that such a historic event was spoilt by protesters.
“The university council and its stakeholders identified these two gentlemen to take the university into the next century.
“The council is fully behind initiatives to making sure that there are amicable solutions to this impasse.
“We commit to sit with union representatives and find a way forward. We are tasked with the leadership and governance of this institution and we will pull out all stops to make sure we go back to normality.” — nonsindisoq@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos