South Africa’s former deputy president Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka was officially appointed as the new Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg (UJ) on Thursday.
The inauguration was held at the university’s Auckland Park Campus. Esteemed guests came clad in their beautiful cultural attire in celebration of national Heritage month, while the procession marched into the venue wearing their academic regalia.
Amongst the guests was the now former Mayor of Johannesburg, Dr Mpho Phalatse, and the Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi.
UJ’s outgoing Chancellor, Professor Njabulo Ndebele, said it is a privilege for him to welcome Mlambo-Ngcuka to UJ.
“I congratulate Dr Mlambo-Ngcuka on her appointment as Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg. May she excel in that role, and within the university that I have so grown to love throughout the period of my association with it,” Ndebele said.
Ndebele added that the authority rights and privileges of office in Chancellor are now conferred upon Mlambo-Ngcuka.
Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, the outing Vice-chancellor of the university, took it upon himself to present Mlambo Ngcuka as the newly appointed chancellor.
Quoting poet Ben Okri, Marwala said: “The only hope is in daring to redream one’s place in the world-beautiful act of imagination, and a sustained act of self-becoming. Which is to say that in some way or another, we breach and confound the accepted frontiers of things.
“I am certain that with Dr Mlambo Ngcuka, we will confound many frontiers anew.”
Speaking to the media before the inauguration, Dr Mlambo-Ngcuka said although she has left the political space, she is yet to deal with political issues within the institution.
Addressing the crowd, Mlambo Ngcuka said her journey with UJ begins immediately, and it is with exhilaration and excitement that she joins them in reimagining the future.
“I want to express my sincere gratitude to Professor Marwala, Mr Teke and Professor Ndebele for sailing UJ to safety, and to all the council members for making this such a formidable institution, “she said.
Mlambo-Ngcuka said as she takes this new position, she thanks her family for their unwavering support and guidance over the years. “I am certain that in this new chapter, UJ’s footprints will be visible globally, and that is the dream that we must collectively pursue.”
She left the guests with the words of former President of Burkina Faso Thomas Sankara, who said: “you cannot carry out fundamental change without a certain amount of madness …we must dare to invent the future.”
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