Professor Vezile Chita, who is the president of the South African Council for Health Professions, has been appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor and Chief Director of Fort Hare University. The university council unanimously approved this decision at a special meeting on Friday, and he is expected to take up his duties in the first quarter of 2027.
He will replace Professor Sahel Buhlungu, who led the university since 2017 but resigned on September 28 while under suspension and during disciplinary hearings regarding allegations of improperly appointing two senior executives.
Initially, the council refused to recognize the immediate effect of the resignation, but later decided to shorten the notice period, setting the next Friday as the last working day.
Chita, who is a physician and a health economist, holds the position of Executive Dean of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at Walter Sisulu University, where he is also an associate professor of health systems and policy. He emerged as the highest-rated candidate in evaluations by both the university senate and its institutional forum. The council's decision followed a unanimous recommendation from the selection and appointment committee, as well as the results of institutional votes and candidate assessments.
Council Comments on the Future of the University
The council chairperson, Dr. Siyanda Makwala, emphasized that the university requires stability and proper governance during the preparation of a long-term plan until 2040. Makwala stated: 'The appointment of Professor Chita marks an important moment in the history of Fort Hare University, as we advance our path of institutional rethinking and revival.'
He added that the council's unanimous decision reflects collective confidence in his leadership qualities, academic achievements, and experience in institutional management and transformation. Looking toward the future until 2040, the responsibility lies in creating a university that honors its distinguished history while decisively responding to the demands of the future.
Makwala also noted the thoroughness of the hiring process, stressing that the unanimous recommendation of the selection and appointment committee, along with the support demonstrated through senate and institutional forum evaluations, provided the council with a solid basis for its decision. He expressed satisfaction with the achieved consensus, which reflects a shared commitment to the future of Fort Hare.
The council resolved that the future of Fort Hare is a shared responsibility, and its success will depend on the collective involvement of students, staff, alumni, and stakeholders of the institution. Makwala concluded that the desired Fort Hare has always been more than just the appointment of one person, and today they have taken a decisive step towards that future by appointing a leader whom they believe Fort Hare needs.
The council reported that the process adhered to the university's approved procedure for appointing a vice-chancellor, which included screening, candidate shortlisting, competency-based assessments, presentations, and structured interviews. The shortlist of candidates presented their plans for the university's development until 2040 at a joint meeting of the council, senate, and institutional forum on Thursday, followed by official interviews on Friday. Representatives from the student representative council, convocation, and organized labor were present at the meeting.
The university's new strategic plan will focus on academic standards, research, financial sustainability, governance, infrastructure, and the quality of student life.
Circumstances of the Previous Leader's Departure
Professor Buhlungu was placed on preliminary paid suspension from March 30 following a forensic audit conducted by Morar Incorporated Auditors regarding the appointment process of two executive directors. He was served with a charge letter in May, accusing him of gross misconduct, insubordination, and damaging the university's reputation, and it was alleged that he made these appointments without consulting the senate or the institutional forum or obtaining council approval. He resigned shortly before he was due to present his defense, stating in his resignation that the process was rigged to achieve a predetermined outcome, which the council did not accept.
Dr. Ntabi Taole-Mjimba, the incumbent Vice-Chancellor for Research, Partnerships, and Innovation, has been acting as Vice-Chancellor since Buhlungu's suspension.
Chita holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, a Master of Public Health with a specialization in health economics from UCT, and a Doctor of Public Health from Walter Sisulu University. He was elected President of the South African Council for Health Professions for the term 2025 to 2030. Previously, he worked as an Assistant Dean for Strategic Issues at the University of the Witwatersrand and was the founder of the Albertina Sisulu Centre for Global Health and Research.