Record Rhodes graduations Mandela depicted in art shocker
RHODES University will see a number of records set at this year’s April graduation, including six students receiving doctorates in African languages.
A total of 2 457 graduates are set to cross the stage to receive their degrees and diplomas during the six graduation ceremonies, which started without a hitch at the 1820 Settlers Monument just outside of Grahamstown yesterday.
Just more than half the graduates (56%) will receive bachelor degrees, while the remainder will receive postgraduate qualifications.
Of the total number of graduates, 60% are women, with 21% of all grad- uates international students.
Rhodes spokeswoman Veliswa Mhlope said 295 graduates would receive master’s degrees, while a record total of 82 PhD qualifications across all faculties would be conferred – up from 67 last year.
The faculty of humanities would also celebrate a record of 26 PhD graduates, up from 19 last year.
Rhodes’ faculty of science, which is the third biggest faculty at the institution, will bestow 34 PhDs.
Honorary doctorates have been conferred on performance poet Linton Kwesi Johnson, human rights campaigners Dr Sheila Sisulu and Dr Barney Pityana, artist Dr Penny Siopis and philanthropist Dr Marguerite Barankitse. CONTROVERSIAL artist Ayanda Mabulu has struck again‚ with another shocking portrait of President Jacob Zuma.
In his most recent portrayal‚ Zuma is depicted in a sexual act with late former president Nelson Mandela.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation said yesterday that while it respected the artist’s right to freedom of expression‚ it found the painting distasteful.
Social media platforms were flood- ed with critiques yesterday, most of which found the painting to be crude and offensive.
Mabulu said that the painting depicted the state of the nation.
“The rapist is continuing to do what he is good at‚” he said.
When asked whether he had gone too far with this portrayal‚ he said: “There are no boundaries.
“The victims will be blamed. The oppressor will not.”