- One of the bodyguards of University of Fort Hare vice-chancellor Sakhela Buhlungu has been shot dead.
- The vice-chancellor has since been moved to a safe location.
- The bodyguard was killed outside Buhlungu's home.
University of Fort Hare (UFH) vice-chancellor, Professor Sakhela Buhlungu, was moved to a "safe" location after one of his bodyguards was shot dead on Friday night.
According to university spokesperson JP Roodt, Mboneli Vesele was killed during a "planned assassination" outside the vice-chancellor's Alice residence.
"The University of Fort Hare confirms a fatal shooting incident outside the official Alice residence of the vice-chancellor during the early evening hours of Friday," Roodt said.
"The executive protection officer and security aide to Professor Sakhela Buhlungu was killed after gunfire was opened and sprayed on the vice-chancellor's university vehicle."
"Shots were overheard several kilometres away by other executive staff members residing in the Alice staff village... The vice-chancellor is unharmed, survived the assassination attempt and is at a safe location."
The university added that it was aware that images and videos of the bullet-riddled vehicle were circulating on social media.
It said:
The university has asked for trauma and counselling services to be made available to students and staff.
These will also be made available to Vesele's family.
Police comment will be added once received.