The University of Fort Hare (UFH) Council has been strengthened through the appointment of new members and the convening of a three-day Council Induction and Strategic Planning Workshop organised by the Office of the Registrar..
New ministerial appointee Council members include Dr Yoliswa Mancotywa (Deputy Chairperson), Adv. Monnapula Motlogelwa, Dr Emma Molobi, and Ms Buyelwa Thunyiswa.
Mr Sizwe Tikwayo joins Council as the Full-time Non-Academic Employee Representative, while following the conclusion of the SRC elections last year, Ms Azole Ntloko (SRC President) and Ms Lihle Phakophi (SRC Secretary General) have also assumed their roles on Council, representing the voice and lived experiences of students.
UFH Council Chairperson Dr Siyanda Makaula welcomed the appointments, noting that they further strengthen the institution’s governance capacity.
“These appointments strengthen the existing composition of Council and enhance its collective capacity to discharge its responsibilities for effective governance, strategic direction, financial sustainability, and public accountability,” he said.
“In particular, we thank Minister Buti Manamela and DHET for the considered appointment of Council members. The ministerial appointees bring deep and complementary expertise spanning law, engineering, project delivery, and strategic leadership, which will further reinforce Council’s collective capability.”
The UFH Council, which comprises both external and internal members, reflects a diverse mix of expertise and stakeholder representation drawn from government, academia, organised local government, alumni, staff, students, and the donor community.
The three-day workshop held in East London focused on Council induction, governance strengthening, and strategic orientation.
On the first day, Dr Makaula provided reflections on governance and institutional priorities, followed by an interactive session on the Principles of Good Governance, guided by the King V governance framework, and a session on Ethical Leadership led by Prof Mazwe Majola.
Vice-Chancellor and Principal Prof Sakhela Buhlungu presented a reflection on the state of the University, situating Council’s work within UFH’s broader institutional trajectory, current challenges, and strategic priorities.
The programme also included an oversight visit and stakeholder engagement at the Alice Campus, during which Council members interacted with the Institutional Forum (IF) and the Institutional Student Representative Council (ISRC).
As part of Council’s oversight of institutional readiness for the 2026 academic year, with particular regard to infrastructure, Council visited key facilities, including student residences and buildings affected by the October 2025 unrest.
Day two opened with a welcome message from Deputy Chairperson Dr Mancotywa, who emphasised the importance of a Council united in purpose. This was followed by a presentation by higher-education expert Associate Professor Thandi Lewin, examining key dynamics and discourses shaping South African higher education.
Across the three days, Council members engaged in in-depth sessions on governance roles and responsibilities, ethical leadership, operational efficiency, fundraising, stakeholder engagement, and communication strategy. The programme concluded on the third day with a special Council meeting.
Dr Makaula noted that 2026 marks a pivotal year of transition, rethinking, and recalibration for the University which he will explore with Council. In an interview with the Directorate: Marketing and Communication (D:MC) he said:
“Having moved through a period of stabilisation and renewal following the administrative phase, the institution must now enter a phase of strategic acceleration – one focused on sustained performance, disciplined growth, and long-term value creation,” he said.
“Council is initiating the development of the institution’s next strategic plan, which will be informed by a structured and widespread programme of stakeholder consultation. In parallel, preparations are underway to commence the recruitment of the next Vice-Chancellor.”
The UFH Council
External Members
- Dr Siyanda Makaula – Chairperson of Council (Council Appointee)
- Dr Yoliswa Mancotywa – Deputy Chairperson of Council (Ministerial Appointee)
- Ms Kuselwa Marala – Council Appointee
- Ms Judith Favish – Council Appointee
- Mr Sathie Gounden – Council Appointee
- Dr Vinay Reddy – Council Appointee
- Ms Noncedo Zonke – Eastern Cape SALGA Representative
- Adv Zintle Hlobo – Eastern Cape Provincial Government Representative
- Mr Baso Sangqu – UFH Foundation Donor Community
- Mr Ayabulela Raymond Pezisa – Convocation President
- Adv Monnapula Motlogelwa – Ministerial Appointee
- Dr Emma Molobi – Ministerial Appointee
- Ms Buyelwa Thunyiswa – Ministerial Appointee
Internal Members
- Prof Sakhela Buhlungu – Vice-Chancellor and Principal
- Dr Nthabi Taole-Mjimba – DVC: Research, Partnerships and Innovation (MEC Nominee)
- Prof Liezel Cilliers – Senate Representative
- Prof Richard Shambare – Senate Representative
- Dr Manthekeleng Linake – Full-time Academic Employee Representative
- Mr Sizwe Tikwayo – Full-time Non-Academic Employee Representative
- Ms Azole Ntloko – SRC President
- Ms Lihle Phakophi – SRC Secretary General
The workshop concluded successfully as the University prepares for the official opening of its 110th Academic Year next week.