WSU alumni urged to help alma mater
TWO sharp young legal eagles have made an impassioned plea to Walter Sisulu University (WSU) alumni to help revitalise the university’s name for academic excellence.
Together, they addressed a convocation event at the weekend in Mthatha attended by about 50 WSU graduates. One of them, celebrated advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi, said a university that had produced so many leaders in the judicial, medical and economic sectors should not be allowed to wither.
The other, WSU president of convocation Zincedile Tiya, said WSU had empowered many poor rural youths with an education, and now it was time to give back.
Invoking the Bible’s book of Nehemiah, he said: “Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.
[Please come join us and build the WSU wall].”
Tiya and Ngcukaitobi are both WSU LLB graduates and former student leaders.
Other alumni include Supreme Court of Appeal President Judge Mandisa Maya, Western Cape Judge President John Hlope, Constitutional Court Justice Russell Mbuyiseli Madlanga, Constitutional Court Justice Chris Jafta, Eastern Cape Judge President Selby Mbenenge, and advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza, SC.
“Although we started with inferiority complexes it was through a process of gaining education at a black institution that we overcame those inferiority complexes.”
Tiya expressed concern that the university’s LLB qualification faced being shut down by the Council of Higher Education. “I am disappointed because none of about 100 law firms in Mthatha, whose directors and owners studied for their LLBs at WSU, rose and defended our LLB accreditation. We had to be rescued by an NGO in Pretoria called Higher Education Transformation.”
The WSU convocation is calling for financial assistance and donations.
The WSU Convocation account is: FNB account no 6262-2620-493, Mthatha branch code 210521, Ref: Convo [+ initials and surname]. —