Cape Town - That the head of a university is having to be protected by bodyguards for clamping down on corruption and other malfeasance is a tragic indictment of what has become of our beloved South Africa.
Fort Hare University vice-chancellor professor Sakhela Buhlungu could have been another statistic on Friday when a number of unknown gunmen attacked his vehicle that was parked outside his official residence, killing his bodyguard Mboneli Vesele.
At the time of the incident the vice-chancellor was not inside the tinted vehicle, but inside his house as he had been dropped off earlier.
The passenger’s side where Buhlungu would have been seated was also shot at.
We first wish to extend our condolences to Vesele’s family for their tragic loss, and call on law enforcement authorities to speedily bring those behind his murder to answer for their crimes.
Buhlungu is believed to have been targeted because of his tough stance to have those behind corruption at the embattled institution held accountable.
Buhlungu had been working with the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) with the aim of having a clean administration and governance.
Those familiar with the murder of whistle-blower Babita Deokaran will almost feel like recent history is repeating itself and our rather inept government has learnt nothing from it.
Deokaran, the chief director of financial accounting who was at the forefront of fighting and exposing alleged personal protective equipment (PPE) tender corruption in the Gauteng Health Department, was shot dead outside her Johannesburg home in 2021.
No one has since been convicted of her murder, as the trial of the men accused of killing her has yet to begin.
Buhlungu should not have been pleading for protection.
In fact he should not be a victim for doing the right thing. Where is our country going when university vice-chancellors are having to look over their shoulders?
It should unsettle all of us that this has become the state of affairs in our country. If these do not resemble the hallmarks of a country becoming a failed state, then we do not know what it will take for citizens to say “enough is enough, we are reclaiming our country from criminals”.
Cape Times