ANOTHER University of Fort Hare employee has been arrested in connection with the alleged murders of staff members at the institution.
The university’s director for investigations and vetting services, Isaac Plaatjies, was arrested on Friday, 17 November.
He made a brief appearance in the Alice Magistrates Court on Monday, 20 November, facing two charges of murder and attempted murder.
Plaatjies is the 10th person to be arrested in the highly publicised murder case.
The university has been in the news since the murder of its vice-chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu’s protector and driver, Mboneli Vesele.
The 51-year-old was ambushed and killed outside Buhlungu’s house after dropping him off on 6 January.
This took place shortly after the murder of the university’s fleet manager, Petrus Roets.
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Police spokeswoman Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said Plaatjies will join nine other suspects on Tuesday, 21 November, where they will appear in the Alice Magistrates Court.
“Plaatjies is accused along with Bongani Peter, chief operating transport officer at the same university, Wanini Khuza, a retired supervisor of drivers at the University of Fort Hare East London campus, Sicelo Mbulawa, former SRC member and cusinessman who also provides services at the University of Fort Hare, allegedly inkabi Mthobisi Khanyile and Mthobisi Dlamini,” she said.
“The five were arrested in April and were all denied bail in the Dimbaza Magistrates Court, and Sicelo Mbulawa was granted R 75 000 bail in the Makhanda High Court in November 2023 after his bail appeal.
“In July, police also arrested Constable Lindokuhle Manjati of Maderia Police Detective Services, and in August, Zimele Chiliza, a taxi boss in KZN, and the wife of the police officer who is an attorney, Pelisa Nkonyeni, were arrested. In September, another suspect, Thamsanqa Mgwetyana, was successfully located hiding in KZN and was charged and added as accused nine.”
In January 2023, Police Minister Bheki Cele announced that the cops had established a multi-disciplinary team to investigate the murders committed at Fort Hare University.
