The second chancellor of the Sol Plaatje University (SPU), Thebe Ikalafeng, was formally inaugurated in a ceremony that placed the life, intellectual legacy and enduring relevance of Solomon Tshekisho Plaatje at the centre of institutional expression.
Taking place in the 150th year of Plaatje’s birth, the ceremony reflected a commitment to advancing knowledge that is both locally grounded and globally engaged.
A ceremonial procession linked the Sol Plaatje Museum to SPU, symbolically tracing the journey between history and institution, memory and modern scholarship.
The unveiling of a commissioned portrait of Plaatje was inspired by his own writings on the importance of education.
It was a collaborative work conceived by the new chancellor; Trevor Stuurman, internationally celebrated photographer and a son of Kimberley; and Dr Lesley Mofokeng, a scholar whose ancestral roots run through Kimberley and who earned his doctorate on Plaatje’s writings and brought to life by visual artist Mark Modimola.
The portrait stands not simply as a commemorative piece, but as an act of intellectual and ancestral reclamation.
Gown deliberate statement of intent
Ikalafeng wore a gown designed by Thebe Magugu, internationally celebrated Kimberley-born fashion designer and Africa’s first LVMH Prize winner.
The commissioning of the gown from a designer rooted in Kimberley was a deliberate statement of intent. It reflects the conviction that excellence does not only come from elsewhere, but can be shaped, recognised and celebrated from within the very communities the university serves.
In her address, Prof. Sheila Tlou, chancellor of Botswana Open University, emphasised the responsibility of universities in shaping Africa’s future, particularly in responding to a rapidly growing youth population. She highlighted the need for institutions to cultivate innovation, ethical leadership and social responsibility, while reaffirming the principle that education must be understood as a right rather than a privilege.
SPU an anchor institution
In his inaugural address, Ikalafeng focussed on the enduring intellectual and moral legacy of Plaatje, describing SPU as a living institution tasked with embedding his values through teaching, research and societal engagement. In this framing, Plaatje was not presented as a historical figure, but as a continuing force shaping the university’s direction and responsibility.
Reflecting on Kimberley as both origin and opportunity, the chancellor emphasised the need to reposition the city and province from sites of historical extraction to centres of intellectual production, calling for a renewed focus on developing human capital as the most critical resource for the future.
He further located SPU as an anchor institution within the region, highlighting its role not only in advancing academic excellence, but in contributing meaningfully to economic, social and cultural development.
In this regard, he emphasised the importance of partnerships between SPU, government, industry and the broader community.
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