GQEBERHA – Dr Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor was officially installed as Chancellor of Nelson Mandela University on 8 April, taking over the role from Dr Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi.
Dr Pandor, who was a lecturer before her move to politics and holds a PhD in Education, reflected on her return to the academic space as a meaningful homecoming, noting the university’s growth into a comprehensive institution committed to academic excellence, research, community engagement, and African collaboration.
Her appointment marks a new chapter following her three-decade tenure in Parliament. Most recently, she served as the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (2019–2024).
Addressing attendees at her installation, she said she is happy to return to the academy sector.
“This University, which has become one of our largest and most successful comprehensive universities, came into being when I served as Minister of Education in the period 2004 to 2009,” she shared.
“All the reports on the University’s performance point to a university committed to academic excellence, high quality research performance, genuine responsiveness to community engagement and service, to well-crafted international partnerships, and to genuine and effective collaboration with universities throughout the African Continent,” she said.
Pandor reminded the audience that the University bears the name of our President Nelson Mandela, the first democratically elected President of South Africa.
“President Mandela is renowned for being a leader who called on all people to make every effort to be people who make good trouble. He was referring to us utilising our active conscience to make good trouble by contributing to changing the negative conditions of millions across the world. He believed the condition of harm experienced by many should persuade us to make good trouble for change. It was this commitment to making good trouble that caused so many across the world to actively contribute to international solidarity by joining our struggle against apartheid. People acted not because it benefitted them but due to their concern for humanity and for the innocent who suffer harm from autocratic states that seek to oppress and dominate other nations or communities,” she said.
“Mandela would surely have agreed with all of us that we are living in a deeply troubled geopolitical environment full of confused leaders who seek to make bad trouble and to impose malevolent unipolarity on a weakened global community,” she added.
“Our university has a stated commitment to Africa and this needs to be pursued beyond rhetoric through real actions in support of Africa’s Agenda 2063. We should not be complacent about Africa lagging behind. The talent we nurture in these walls is going to be wasted if we fail to develop our continent into an effective participant in all international affairs.”
She further shared: “Our commitment must also include sustainably nurturing an institution in which all enjoy respect and dignity, a university in which our Bill of Rights is rehearsed in practice through respect for women and girls, for every worker and respect for the dignity of all.
“Freedom and democracy were never mere slogans for Mandela, they were ideals to strive for, I assume this significant chair of Chancellor with the hope and trust that you will honour the privilege of his name by living the legacy he bequeathed to all of us,” she said.
“We owe a legacy to all the founders of our democracy to express our gratitude by being hard working quality students, quality academics, quality administrators, quality university leaders and quality leaders of society. I am certain that this is what I will see and experience in this increasingly great institution as I serve you as Chancellor,” she concluded.
