Fort Hare VC accused of lying under oath to keep forensic lawyer’s assets frozen

Embattled outgoing University of Fort Hare vice-chancellor Professor Sakhela Buhlungu has been accused of lying under oath to keep a forensic lawyer’s bank accounts frozen.

Sarah Burger, whose firm Horizon Forensics was hired by the university to investigate corruption, has taken the explosive allegation to the police, laying perjury and crimen injuria charges against Buhlungu.

Burger, whose own fraud and corruption charges were later dropped, made the allegations in a 27-page affidavit stamped at Kleinmond police station.

Though the case, which has since been transferred to Makhanda, was opened in September 2025, it only came to light this week, days after Buhlungu resigned as vice-chancellor last week Monday.

Buhlungu, who has been suspended on full pay since March, resigned shortly before a disciplinary hearing over his appointment of two executive directors without the required consultation and council approval.

In his resignation letter, he claimed the disciplinary process had been set up to reach a predetermined outcome.

Council rejected the claim, refused to let him leave immediately on Tuesday last week and agreed a day later to shorten his notice period.

He will now leave on October 23.

Council chair Dr Siyanda Makaula said the disciplinary proceedings would continue until they were concluded.

Burger, a Cape Town attorney, made her name as the lead forensic investigator at the university, where her work through Horizon Forensics over four years helped expose alleged tender fraud and corruption.

Her investigations included allegations of academic fraud against Eastern Cape premier Oscar Mabuyane, which he has denied.

But on March 28 2024, she and her business partner, Bradley Conradie, were arrested in connection with the Fort Hare fraud and corruption case, and she spent five nights in a holding cell before she was granted bail.

The National Prosecuting Authority, or NPA, withdrew the charges against her in July 2025.

In her affidavit, seen by IOL, Burger accused Buhlungu of making false claims in court papers to portray her as corrupt and trash her reputation as an attorney.

Approached for comment, the university said it regarded the allegations as “exceptionally serious”.

“The University of Fort Hare was not previously aware of the criminal complaint lodged by Ms Sarah Burger against Professor Sakhela Buhlungu,” spokesman JP Roodt said.

“The university was made aware of the complaint this afternoon when IOL furnished it with the supporting affidavit and invited its comment.

“Having considered the nature of the allegations, the university regards them as exceptionally serious, particularly insofar as they concern allegations of knowingly making false statements under oath in judicial proceedings.

“The university respects the independence and integrity of the criminal justice system and considers it imperative that allegations of this nature be subjected to appropriate investigation by the competent law enforcement authorities.

“The university will cooperate fully with any lawful investigation should its assistance be required.

“In these circumstances, the university considers it inappropriate to comment on the merits of the allegations or to prejudge the findings of any investigation or subsequent legal proceedings.”

Buhlungu did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

His response will be added once received.

Before the charges against Burger were dropped, the Makhanda High Court granted the state a provisional restraint order on March 18 2025, freezing her assets along with those of others accused in the case.

Buhlungu deposed to an affidavit supporting the order, but it was set aside on May 27 2025, according to Burger.

In his affidavit, Buhlungu told the court the university had been unaware of “deeper links” between Burger and Isaac Plaatjies, the university’s former director of investigations and vetting, until the 2024 arrests.

He also said Burger and others opposing the restraint order should never have had “underhanded dealings” with Plaatjies, “let alone paying even a cent to him or financing the acquisition of his million-rand house”.

Burger said her relationship with Plaatjies was purely professional and she had never paid him a cent.

“He occupies a position of great eminence and public responsibility,” Burger said of Buhlungu in the affidavit.

“The falsehoods contained in the vice-chancellor’s affidavit go beyond simple inaccuracies.

“They are defamatory, calculated to destroy my reputation, and intended to brand me as corrupt and dishonest.”

Buhlungu told the court that, after the arrests, the university became aware of “fraud on invoices” submitted by Horizon Forensics.

Burger said the university later paid the firm the full R885,304.47 it owed in fees, after Horizon Forensics sued for the money and handed over proof of its work.

Buhlungu also told the court Plaatjies “never formed part of the office of the vice-chancellor” and that his contract was not linked to Buhlungu’s own term.

Burger attached a council-approved 2021 organogram listing Plaatjies as a direct report in the vice-chancellor’s office, in a post marked as “linked to the VC’s term”.

She also attached an email Buhlungu sent to the then council chairperson, Bishop Ivan Abrahams, on December 3 2021, recommending Plaatjies receive a new three-year contract.

“We decided that, pending the organogram review, the post would be a contract one and its term would coincide more or less with that of the vice-chancellor,” Buhlungu wrote.

“It is for that reason that I recommend to you that a new three-year contract be issued to Mr Plaatjies to run from February 1 2022 to January 31 2025.”

Buhlungu further told the court Plaatjies had been “one among many senior staff who reported to me” and had no special working relationship with him.

Burger pointed to a March 2024 interview in which Buhlungu said otherwise.

“To say that Plaatjies was close to me is an understatement,” Buhlungu said in that interview.

“He was my interface person with the SAPS, the Hawks and everyone else.”

Buhlungu also denied under oath that he regularly instructed Burger and other attorneys.

Burger listed eight matters between 2018 and 2024 in which she said he personally instructed Horizon Forensics or the university’s attorneys, including the probe into Mabuyane’s academic record.

She asked police to investigate Buhlungu and to prosecute him.

IOL