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Almost a billion rand is being invested by the University of Johannesburg in its Soweto Campus. Rather appropriately, the development was launched on Youth Day.
Minister of Education, Naledi Pandor, and Johannesburg University vice-chancellor, Professor Ihron Rensburg, at the sod-turning ceremony for the Soweto Campus development
TWO milestone events took place at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) in Soweto this weekend - Youth Day was celebrated and the R800-million development of UJ's Soweto Campus was launched.
To mark the day's significance, on Monday, 16 June, Minister of Education Naledi Pandor attended the event, where she encouraged students to fight against mediocrity and to strive for excellence in their studies.
"The fact that we have allowed mediocrity in our education system is a shame to our fallen heroes and heroines," she said. Pandor also had harsh words for the misuse of scarce public resources by tertiary institutions.
"Many universities are wasting public resources. Our resources are scarce and we work hard for them, so a huge responsibility must be taken for them."
She also spoke about the challenges faced by universities around the country. One such was the challenge of equity: "We need to address the legacy of racial and gender inequalities that continue to persist."
However, equity could not compete with quality. The two were equally important and one should never be compromised for the other.
Other challenges faced by the higher education system was the lack of efficiency and effectiveness, and creating new institutional cultures that cut across cultural, ethnic and language differences.
In closing, Pandor urged students not to make transformation at UJ just about changing staff or student profiles; it must be seen as a process of long-term change involving all aspects of university life.
Facilities
Development of the Soweto Campus will focus on facilities such as student residences, lecture halls, a student centre, a law clinic, computer laboratories and new sports amenities. The first phase will enable the campus to accommodate 5 000 students.
Its main academic offerings will be management, economic and financial sciences, education and humanities studies, with leadership training part of the core curriculum.
There will also be a range of non-formal programmes, including targeted programmes under the guidance of the Centre for Small and Medium Enterprises Development.
Professor Ihron Rensburg, the vice-chancellor and principal of UJ, said he was aware that the development of the Soweto Campus was important for the development of the community of Soweto.
"When the university rises up, the community rises up as well; and when the community rises up, the university in turn rises up."
In total, the development of the Soweto Campus will cost about R800-million.
SRC president Thapelo Sekobane was grateful for the investment the university was making in its Soweto Campus. He encouraged fellow students to grasp the opportunities that were given to them and never to let go.
"Our dynamics and unequal background do not have to determine our future but our hard work, perseverance and passions must be the ones determining our future," Sekobane said.
Soweto Rising
After the sod-turning ceremony, led by Joel Dikgole, a member of the university's council, the acting group chief executive officer of the SABC, Gab Mamponi, introduced the deputy president of the ANC, Kgalema Motlanthe, who gave a lecture on Soweto Rising.
Motlanthe told the young people at the event that they needed continually to engage in the on-going struggle against racism, poverty and sexism.
"The enemy we fight today is different in nature from that of apartheid, because apartheid in itself was a unifying problem but today we face challenges that cause us to be divided. We must fight the challenges of poverty and HIV/Aids with the same fire that fuelled the 1976 youth."
Motlanthe also emphasised the need to prioritise education. "We need to dedicate and allocate all the necessary resources and funds to education, to make sure that education becomes available to all our children, remembering that [it's not] the past we inherit but the future we create."
Chris Gardner, the inspiring entrepreneur whose life story led to the movie The Pursuit of Happyness, also spoke on the day. He advised the youth to be passionate about what they did and to make a difference in their communities.
"We should encourage young people to be passionate about whatever they do and not do it because of the money, because when you pursue something that you are passionate about, you will see that money is not always everything."
High school learners at the event were inspired to further their studies at UJ. A Grade 12 pupil at MH Joosub Secondary School, Nelly Bean, said: "It is a good event because we are learning a lot from it. I personally am inspired because today I've witnessed how much effort our minister of education is putting in our education."
An electrical engineering student from the Soweto Campus, Phelo Mvandaba, was excited about the development that would soon take place at the campus.
"I am loving everything about it and it is a good thing that they are doing for our campus. And to show that the development was not taken for granted, the minister of education also attended the event."
And then it was time for entertainment, which included Ihashi Elimhlophe na Amaponi, the UJ Soweto Choir, the SABC Choir, Mafikizolo and the Johannesburg Youth Orchestra.
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