Minister of Environmental Affairs‚ Edna Molewa‚ is set to be appointed the first Chancellor of the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University on Friday.
The university said the installation of Molewa as Chancellor marked another successful milestone in the constitution of the governance structures at the fledgling institution.
Higher Education and Training minister Blade Nzimande established the University in May 2014‚ with its main purpose being teaching‚ research and community engagement.
The University‚ located in Ga-Rankuwa‚ North of Pretoria at the then Medical University of Southern Africa (Medunsa) campus of the University of Limpopo‚ opened its doors in January 2015.
Dr Eric Pule‚ the University's Director Marketing and Communication‚ said: “The Chancellor’s primary role is and will be to fulfil ceremonial duties at the official events of the university. As a newly established University by the democratic government of South Africa‚ SMU’s governance structures are in place in ensuring that it fulfils its mandate in training Health Sciences professionals”. He said such structures included the 25 Council Members Committee-the highest decision making body of the University-‚ the Senate Institutional Forum‚ Alumni Association Executive and the Student Representative Council.
Pule said the highlight of installation ceremony‚ to be held at the SMU Sports Complex in Ga-Rankuwa‚ would be‚ “Chancellor Molewa delivering her address to a captive audience of cabinet ministers‚ staff‚ students‚ business and the neighbouring community”.
Molewa‚ 59‚ is former minister of Social Development and a member of the African National Congress Women's League National Executive Council. She also serves as Chairperson of the ANC Women's League in the North West Province and has served a member of the North West Provincial Executive Committee of the ANC since 1996.
Molewa was the first woman to serve as premier of the North West province from 2004 to 2009. She was a teacher between 1976 and 1981. She holds Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of South Africa‚ a certificate of Economic Leadership Development Programme from the Wharton Business School. In September last year‚ she was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate by the Vaal University of Technology.
- TMG Digital/The Times
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