A somber silence hung over the University of Fort Hare’s (UFH) Alice Campus this morning (Friday) as members of the Extended Management Team, joined by members of the media, walked through the campus to view the ruins left in the wake of the student unrest earlier this week.
The tour laid bare the devastating impact of the fires that gutted key university facilities, a significant blow to the 109-year-old institution’s heritage, operations, and academic mission.
“We are sitting on ashes. It is depressing. We are now working on recovery efforts,” said the Registrar, Mr Njabulo Zuma.
Beyond Buildings
While the total cost of restoration is estimated to be between R300 million and R500 million, the brunt of the destruction goes far beyond infrastructure. Along with buildings, years of research, institutional knowledge, and irreplaceable memories were lost to the flames.
The affected structures on the Alice Campus include the Administration Building, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, and Student Affairs. The Staff Centre and the Clinic, both recently renovated, were also not spared. On the East London Campus, the Faculty of Education was set alight.
“It is heartbreaking,” said Property and Services Manager, Mr Buhle Shandu, surveying the wreckage. “We estimate it could take up to two years to restore what was lost.”
Devastating Loss
The group’s first stop was the Administration Building. Once the beating heart of university governance, the Senate Chamber now stands blackened, its treasures reduced to ashes. The Examinations Office, which safeguarded academic records and doctoral theses, was consumed by flames. The Human Resources Department, home to employee records and archives, lies in total ruin.
Revamped just two years ago after being destroyed in the 2017 unrest, the Staff Centre was the first to be set ablaze. The Clinic, which had yet to be officially handed over by contractors, now stands as an empty shell. “The newly revamped clinic was meant to enhance further the health services offered to our student community,” said Acting Dean of Students, Prof Priscilla Monyai.
At the Faculty of Science and Agriculture, the mood was one of utter disbelief at a significant loss. “It is very sad, we are distraught,” said Dean Prof Linda Sibali. “Our academic agenda has been disrupted. While we can move some teaching and learning online, what about the practicals, the equipment, the years of research samples now gone?”
Newly renovated laboratories worth over R10.5 million have been destroyed, with irreplaceable data and preserved crop specimens. “In Pasture Science alone, we have lost research spanning five to six years and equipment valued at more than R15 million,” lamented Prof Ishmael Jaja. “We may have to start from scratch.”
Rebuilding
To begin charting a path toward recovery, university management has already started engaging key stakeholders, including the Minister of Higher Education, Mr Buti Manamela, the police, investigators, and assessors.
“Announcements will be made in stages, based on verified facts and figures. At the core is to ensure the environment is safe and conducive” said the Registrar.
Though the losses are immeasurable, the University community is hopeful. What the fire destroyed, time and determination will restore. Indeed, the rise of Fort Hare lies in the hearts of those who refuse to let it fall.