Fifteen more people, including top University of Fort Hare officials, will appear in court on Tuesday after police swooped in over the Easter weekend and arrested them.
Seven are believed to hold high-ranking positions at the university in finance, supply chain and the office of the vice-chancellor, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu.
The Dispatch has also reliably learnt that some of the seven officials were still employed by the university at the time of their arrest, while others had resigned.
National police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said the task team which had the “responsibility of investigating and arresting those responsible for murder and attempted murder cases” at the university rounded up the 15 suspects in different parts of the country, including KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, the Western and Eastern Cape.
Mathe said they faced a string of charges including fraud, corruption, kidnapping, murder and attempted murder.
They will appear in the Dimbaza magistrate’s court on Tuesday.
The latest arrests bring to 25 the number of people arrested in connection with the spate of violence against Fort Hare officials and corruption.
Some are charged with the murders of fleet manager Petrus Roets, who was gunned down in Gonubie in 2022, and Buhlungu’s bodyguard, Mboneli Vesele, who died in a hail of bullets in January 2023 in Dikeni.
Some are charged with the attempted murders of Buhlungu and deputy VC Prof Renuka, Vithal, reckless discharge of a firearm, theft and possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The first batch of arrests was made in April 2023.
They are former employees Bongani Peter, a suspended university fleet manager, Wanini Khuza, former SRC member Sicelo Mbulawa and alleged hitmen Mthokozisi Khanyile and Mthokozisi Dlamini.
All remain in custody except Mbulawa who was released on bail upon appeal.
The next arrests were in August — that of suspended police officer Lindokuhle Manjati and his cousin and businessman, Zimele Chiliza.
Manjati’s wife and attorney Phelisa Nkonyeni and Thamsanqa Mgwetyana were arrested a month later in September.
In November, the task team swooped in on ex-director of investigations and vetting Isaac Plaatjies at his home in East London.
Plaatjies is still fighting to be released on bail.
He was allegedly the source of the hit list containing 13 names including that of Buhlungu and Vittal, and a photo of the bullet-riddled car belonging to slain Buffalo City Metro senior official Nceba Ncunyana.
National police commissioner General Fannie Masemola and minister Bheki Cele are expected to be in the court gallery when the suspects appear on Tuesday.
In a statement, Masemola said the task team would continue to do their work without fear or favour.
“The team has been hard at work in getting to the bottom of who is behind fraud, corruption and the murders at the university.
“They will continue to investigate and hunt those who are found to have had a hand in any wrongdoing.
“Our focus is to bring before court a case that will be able to stand with all the evidence that has been collected by the team,” Masemola said.
Attempts to get comment from the university were unsuccessful by the time of publication.
The 10 other accused will be back in court on October 6.
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