University of Fort Hare VC’s roller-coaster ride for justice in face of murder and criminal syndicates
“People think, shame, he is hiding under his bed, but I am not. No, I am on campus every day, cheering our students on. Celebrating all the time,” Buhlungu said. In court documents, the State links Roets’ murder to an extensive anti-corruption campaign Buhlungu had initiated, which earned him death threats. Roets was one of the people he had appointed to correct the situation. Like all the new managers, he stopped all pending payments to service providers.
“We had just had a council meeting. Council said to do everything to protect people. Isaac Plaatjies was organising the protection. He got people in and did the logistics. I trusted him to do all of that.” “I was back on the podium and, this time, I said forget the police and the police commissioner, and the national minister of this or the other. President Cyril Ramaphosa must act now. Then the President phoned. He heard the message. It was very clear.”
“Following the discussion with the President, we agreed that he should send his ministers down. He said something will be done.” “The visit came hardly five days after Vesele died. All these clowns came into town and I thought, I don’t have time for this nonsense. Someone has died.”But Buhlungu was shocked when he was asked for the case number of Vesele’s murder at the team’s first meeting.
“Then we had the first breakthrough. With the police investigation, I needed to be there. You must keep watch all of the time – be vigilant, alert and assertive. I had to do that. I phoned Cele if I didn’t see things moving. I was calling the generals. “But the big picture wasn’t apparent. I didn’t know where this was going,” Buhlungu said. “I scaled down my public exposure even further. I made a few strategic appearances when the accused was in court. I didn’t want it to be triumphalist at a time when things were still unfolding.
During a meeting with police investigators on 16 November 2023, which Plaatjies also attended, a general who was present asked to speak to Buhlungu alone.