Mvuyo Tom is a South African doctor, administrator and academic, known for his tenure as the vice-chancellor of the University of Fort Hare from 2008 to 2016.
Tom was trained as a medical doctor, before moving into public health management in the Eastern Cape, ultimately serving for six years as the director general of the region's health and welfare department.[1] In 1994, Tom was awarded the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights.[2]
Tom was appointed as the director of the School of Public Management and Development at the University of Fort Hare in 2005, and went on to become the university's vice-chancellor in 2008,[3] taking over from Professor Derrick Swarz.[4] During his tenure as vice-chancellor, Tom commented publicly on the Fees Must Fall movement, comparing the damage being done to university campuses to the Xhosa cattle killing in the 1850s.[5] He stood down as vice-chancellor, and was appointed a professor by the university, in 2016, to be replaced by the current incumbent, Sakhela Buhlungu.[6]
Tom currently serves as deputy chairperson on the board of Tekano Health Equity in South Africa,[7] and he also serves on the board of the Oliver and Adelaide Tambo Foundation.[8]