WSU REFLECTS ON PROGRESS AND PURPOSE AS IT LAUNCHES ITS KZN CONVOCATION CHAPTER

During the WSU KZN Convocation Chapter Launch at the uMzimkhulu Hotel in uMzimkhulu recently, Dr Cawe Novukela, Deputy Registrar at WSU, and Dr Lunga Mantashe, President of the WSU Convocation, offered powerful reflections on the institution’s journey — one defined by resilience, transformation, and social responsibility.

“The journey of WSU has been long and arduous,” said Novukela. “It has been a story of successes and setbacks — yet through it all, we have continued to evolve and grow stronger.”

He traced WSU’s trajectory from its founding in 2005 to the 2010 merger that unified governance and academic structures under a unitary model.

“This consolidation, led under the stewardship of the Vice-Chancellor,Professor Songca, ensured WSU became more cohesive, strategic, and academically integrated,” he explained.

Acknowledging the shifting landscape of higher education, Novukela highlighted challenges such as youth unemployment, geopolitical uncertainty, and the impact of AI on learning and employment, which have necessitated a re-evaluation of the institution's role and purpose.

“We must rethink our purpose — how we prepare graduates for a changing world and contribute to solving our country’s social and economic crises,” he said.

Despite these challenges, WSU continues to make significant progress — expanding postgraduate programs, aligning qualifications with workplace needs, and increasing the number of NRF-accredited researchers. This progress is a testament to our collective efforts and should fill us all with pride and optimism for the future.

“Beyond numbers, what defines WSU is our resilience — our ability to reimagine ourselves and keep moving forward,” he affirmed.

In a moving address, Dr Mantashe confronted one of WSU’s toughest challenges — graduate debt.

“We represent over 144,000 graduates who collectively owe R1.4 billion,” he said. “Many are employed yet unable to repay — not from unwillingness, but because they are underpaid.”

He described this dilemma as “Umsonto Onyikinyiki” — a tangled thread — capturing the moral bind between the university’s need for revenue and graduates’ financial hardship.

“Debt is not just a number — it is a weight that crushes hope. When we relieve a graduate of that burden, we restore dignity.”

In 2023, the Convocation raised R40 million through the Graduate Debt Clearance Fund, complemented by Council initiatives such as the Student Debt Forgiveness Programme and the Legacy Fund. Yet Mantashe cautioned against systemic practices that deepen poverty.

“To demand interest from the impoverished is to deepen their wound,” he warned. “Graduate debt is not political — it is a human reality that calls for compassion and justice,” he affirmed.

The launch also introduced the newly elected WSU KZN Convocation Chapter, led by:

The newly elected WSU KZN Convocation Chapter, led by a team of dedicated individuals, includes Sifiso Zwezwe as the Chairperson, Asanda Mtshezi as the Deputy Chairperson, Solomzi Dabula as the Secretary, Pearl Nyawose as the Deputy Secretary, Ongeziwe Nosenga as the Treasurer, and Melusi “Freeze” Jili as the Chapter Organiser.

By Thando Cezula