WeeklySA_AdminRIGOUR: New Chancellor of the Nelson Mandela University calls for academic excellence, African collaboration and a renewed defence of academic freedom in a turbulent global era…
By Own Correspondent
Nelson Mandela University’s newly installed Chancellor, Dr Naledi Pandor, has outlined a bold and principled vision for the institution, placing academic excellence, African collaboration and the defence of academic freedom at the centre of its future trajectory.
Speaking at her official installation ceremony at the Madibaz Indoor Sport Centre in Gqeberha this week, Pandor framed her leadership as both a return to her academic roots and a call to action for the university community to uphold the values of justice, dignity and intellectual integrity.
“It is a welcome pleasure to return to the academic sector… to immerse myself in the sane cooling embrace of intellectual rigour,” she said, reflecting on her journey from academia into senior government roles and back again.
Pandor succeeds Dr Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi and paid tribute to her predecessor’s leadership, while signalling continuity in the university’s commitment to high-quality research, strong academic performance and meaningful engagement across the African continent.
At the heart of Pandor’s address was a reaffirmation of the university’s responsibility to society — one grounded in the legacy of Nelson Mandela. Drawing on his call to “make good trouble”, she urged students, academics and leaders to act courageously against injustice and contribute to positive societal change.
Her remarks come at a time of mounting global concern over threats to academic freedom. Pandor warned that higher education institutions are increasingly under pressure, including in regions affected by conflict, and stressed the need for universities to assert their independence and protect free inquiry.
“This increasingly worrying threat to academic freedom… should cause us… to assert our abiding commitment to freedom, justice, and the development of new knowledge,” she said.
Beyond institutional resilience, Pandor placed strong emphasis on Africa’s role in shaping global knowledge systems.
She called for a more assertive continental voice, urging Nelson Mandela University to deepen collaboration across Africa and actively contribute to the goals of Agenda 2063.
“This seeming absence of the South in articulating a progressive, humane, global agenda must encourage our university to increase efforts at achieving Africa-wide academic excellence,” she said.
Her vision also extends inward, with a focus on building an inclusive institutional culture rooted in dignity, respect and lived constitutional values. She challenged the university community to embody excellence not only in scholarship, but in leadership and service.
The installation drew strong support from across government, academia and civil society. Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela described the appointment as both symbolic and significant, while Vice-Chancellor Professor Sibongile Muthwa reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to service-oriented leadership.
Provincial and municipal leaders echoed the sentiment, highlighting the university’s role as a driver of development in the Eastern Cape, while student and alumni representatives welcomed Pandor’s leadership at what they described as a defining moment for higher education in South Africa.
Having officially assumed office on April 1, Pandor begins her tenure as Nelson Mandela University presides over graduation ceremonies for more than 6 000 students — a symbolic start to a leadership chapter anchored in excellence, transformation and a renewed African intellectual agenda.
