Professor Sakhela Buhlungu is Vice-Chancellor of the University of Fort Hare and former Dean of Humanities at the University of Cape Town. Professor Buhlungu has been central to efforts to stabilise and reform the institution amid deep governance failures, political interference and criminality that have threatened its academic mission and historical legacy. See his bio here.

Professor Buhlungu was in conversation with Ann Bernstein, CDE’s executive director, to reflect on the serious challenges facing Fort Hare, what institutional reform requires in practice, and why safeguarding universities is critical for South Africa’s future.

For 30 years, CDE has influenced policy in South Africa’s democracy. We have established ourselves as a unique policy think tank and prominent public ‘voice’ promoting enterprise and development in South Africa and emerging markets. We have built a wide network throughout the country and with leading global experts and think tanks, especially in democratic developing countries.

CDE’s flagship project, AGENDA 2024: Priorities for South Africa’s new government, based on extensive policy work and collaboration with experts, business leaders, former public servants and academics, sets out to answer what is by far the most important question facing South Africa: What can a new government do to get the country back on track after 15 years of stagnation and decline? See related media statements here, the op-eds here and the reports in the ACTION series, here.

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