DA welcomes the arrest of a SAPS member linked to UFH killings

31 July 2023

The DA welcomes the arrest of an Eastern Cape police officer linked to the killings of University of Fort Hare (UFH) staff.

This is another breakthrough into the murders of UFH fleet manager, Petrus Roets, and Mboneli Vesele, the Vice‐Chancellor, Prof Sakhela Buhlungu’s, bodyguard. We acknowledge the swift action taken to arrest the six people so far connected to these murders.

The concern is that this police officer most likely used state vehicles to transport the alleged hitmen to the areas where these murders took place. We call on the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) to investigate the possible use of state resources as well as other possible police officers involved in these murders.

Communities look to SAPS members to protect them from criminals, not become the criminals themselves. We expect the accused officer to face the full might of the law, should he be found complicit in these murders.

The safety and security of the UFH community is of utmost importance and we hope the SIU investigation will be completed swiftly so that those responsible for the rot and corruption and the university can be held responsible for its near collapse.

Issued by Chantel King, DA Shadow Minister of Higher Education, 31 July 2023