The new chancellor of the University of Venda, Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, has hailed the University of Venda for its illustrious 28 years of existence.

In his acceptance speech as new chancellor of the university, Motlante said the university had a long history. “In its long and unique history, Univen has enjoyed a status of being a rural-based university that serves as a resource pool for the regional community. It is not easy being chancellor of an institution like this, given the fact that my able predecessors will be a hard act to follow,” he said.

He thanked his predecessor, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, “for holding the ship on even keel for two successive terms”.

Motlante also had nice words to say about the Chairperson of Council, the retired Constitutional Court judge, Justice Yvonne Mokgoro, who he said had brought noble counsel throughout the years. “Together with other members of the council, they both played a central part in guiding and piloting this institution through tempestuous and difficult waters,” he said.

He also commended stakeholders in the private sector and civil society and urged them to be the university’s partners in offering specialized, grassroots-based training that he said was driving the country’s sustainable development.

“One of the major tasks we face is the sourcing of funds to boost this university’s dual obligations in agricultural research and rural development that benefit the poor and attend to the needs of economic advancement while in addition positioning South Africa as a globally competitive country,” he said.

He said universities not only offered students accessible and quality-based qualifications, but also hinged upon seeing education as directly linked to national development which improved people’s lives for the better. According to him, Univen positions itself as contributing to building a new South Africa based on a shared vision.

Univen vice-chancellor and principal Prof Peter Mbati said it was an honour for an institution like Univen to have a man like the deputy president of the country as its chancellor. He said the university was rurally based and quality driven and would be able to achieve its vision through the leadership of Motlanthe

“As a university, we are an important core in development in this region and we are more than committed to working closely with you, so that Univen finds itself in its rightful place,” said Mbati.

A representative of the Tshivhase Royal Council, Khosi Muelekanyi Tshivhase, said through the Tshivhase Development Trust they were building rural schools and equipping them with modern technology such as computers. He said as traditional leaders they were embarking on rural development, aiming to make rural learners get education on their doorstep.