Dear Editor
The Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (DASO) believes the crisis at the University of Fort Hare demands a responsible and democratic solution. While we condemn the criminal acts of violence that destroyed student resources, we also recognise that the underlying issues require a legitimate student voice to be resolved.
We welcome the university’s investigation into the misuse of financial budgets allocated to student government. It is unacceptable that the very department responsible for student democracy failed to host SRC elections due to its budget being depleted. This financial mismanagement is a root cause of the current crisis and accountability is essential.
To this end, after careful consideration, we are advocating for a clear, two-stage process:
- Immediate De-escalation: We call for an immediate end to all violence and for all parties to commit to good-faith dialogue; and
- A Transition to Legitimacy: We now see the interim SRC as a temporary platform, but only if it is immediately tasked with one primary objective: to oversee a transparent and independently administered process to form a SRC that is legitimate.
Furthermore, we call upon the Minister of Higher Education and Training to urgently intervene and provide clarity on the legality of the Vice-Chancellor’s term extension. This unresolved matter is a significant source of the universities instability and must be addressed to restore confidence in the university’s governance.
Our goal is not to perpetuate the interim structure, but to use it as a transitional means to rapidly build a student government that truly represents the student body.
DASO believes that this is a sustainable path forward to address core issues and serve the best interests of all Fort Hare students.
Regards
Hannah Dyers
DASO Deputy Chairperson in Media and Publicity