NWU launches its 20th birthday celebrations

Questions like what the oldest building on campus was, what the only place was that sells alcohol, who the current Student Campus Council (SCC) president was and the one thing you love about the campus were asked at the student launch of the North-West University’s 20th birthday celebrations – the first event of several that would take place throughout the year.

The students’ launch event on the Potchefstroom site was held in the amphitheatre while staff attended the more serious part of the launch at Feather Hill in Potchefstroom. This part of the launch was broadcast on YouTube. On the Vanderbijlpark campus, staff could attend a gala dinner in the graduation hall.

Speakers at the staff event included the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Dr Blade Nzimande, North-West University (NWU) Chancellor Dr Anna Mokgokong, Vice-Chancellor Dr Bismark Tyobeka, Prof Daryl Balia, the deputy vice-chancellor, a former SCC president (2019-2020), Tutu Kgobane, who represented all SCC current and former presidents.

Kgobane said he was glad he was a part of the 20-year history. As a former SRC president he and the other student leaders were part of the foundation of the university which helped to shape student life on all three campuses.

Nzimande said that all the milestones achieved would not have been possible without the previous executive leadership, staff, students, and worker leadership at the university.

In the amphitheatre, simply known as ‘the amfi’ by Potch students, they came in their numbers to dance, play games and win prizes by participating in the fun quizz about their university. When Sihle Mkungo, a third-year in Economics was asked about his favourite thing about the NWU, he said that he enjoyed the student life of the university and that “we are united”.

Karabo Mofokeng, a first-year BA student,  won herself a commemorative shirt at the event. “They first asked me who the [current] SCC president is and because I am a first-year I told them I do not know and they changed [the question] to: ‘What is the name of the place where we are at now?’ I said the amphitheatre and that is how I got my prize.”

From left are Anya Simpson, Karin Harvey and Andries Oelofse. They helped to promote the event. Image: Nsuku Shiluvana

Spectators were enjoying the birthday party as much as the participants.

Katlego Leketi, a second-year student in Industrial Engineering, said that she was enjoying the event, and she liked that people showed up happy and enjoyed their moment without worrying about school-related work.

Ayanda Jantjies, who was the MC, said that she loved the fact that students also joined with the intention of getting to know more about the university and its history.

At the staff event Vice-Chancellor Tyobeka had a few words. He said: “Our vision beyond the 20 years is to explore new frontiers and opportunities for societal benefit, [and] advancing our relevance and impact”.

Tyobeka said through knowledge provision, innovative teaching, cutting-edge research and community engagement the university aimed at benefitting society.

The university had been accelerating its internationalisation efforts and forged strategic relations with the University of the West Indies, in Jamaica,  as well as the United States-based  University of Arizona and the North Carolina State University, just to name a few, he said.