UP students praised for
bravery in #FeesmustFall march Two University of Pretoria students received recognition and praise from the University and the British High Commission for their bravery, compassion and exemplary conduct during the #FeesmustFall student march through the streets of Pretoria to the Union Buildings on 23 October 2015.
At the ceremony at the University with the ViceChancellor and Principal, Prof Cheryl de la Rey, centre, are from left to right Ms Helen Horne of the British High Commission, Msizi Ndlovu, Modise Sefume and Ms Linda Hooper, British High Commission.
Msizi
Ndlovu and Modise Sefume came to the rescue of Helen Horne and Linda Hooper, two female staff members of the British High Commission, who were conducting official business in downtown Pretoria on the day when they were surrounded by a rampant mob that smashed the rear window of their vehicle with a brick. Shocked, but physically unharmed, the ladies were struggling to extract themselves from the situation when the students appeared on the scene. They provided assistance, found a safe place to park
10
Universiteit van Pretoria | University of Pretoria | Yunibesithi ya Pretoria
the vehicle and escorted the ladies to a nearby medical clinic which afforded security from the mob. They monitored the situation, remained with the ladies until the violence had passed and assisted with their eventual return to the British High Commission. Members of the British High Commission conveyed their thanks to UP and the two young men at a small ceremony held at the University. Prof Cheryl de la Rey, Vice-Chancellor of UP, said the actions of these students went far beyond peaceful conduct during protest actions. "Msizi and Modise acted with great responsibility, bravery and compassion to assist innocent bystanders, and are a great credit to themselves and our institution. I am honoured and humbled by the shining example of their truly remarkable conduct under difficult circumstances, which exemplifies the values of humanity, decency and social cohesion that we try to foster in our students. I do believe that they will in time receive recognition as role models to be emulated as we move together on our shared path to inclusivity and social cohesion as an institution and as a country." Colonel John McCardle, Defence Adviser of the British High Commission, said the students' actions were worthy of both praise and recognition for themselves and UP. “Their actions bring great credit on themselves and the institution. We are all most grateful for their assistance in a time of need and their ability to stand up and be counted when the easier option was most likely to turn away.” Ndlovu is a sixth year medical student at UP and Sefume completed his LLB degree in 2015. He is currently a candidate attorney with Schindler's Attorneys, Notaries and Conveyancers in Sandton. "This wasn't a random act of kindness. If we were in the same situation today we will do exactly the same again, because this is the way we were raised and what we stand for," says Sefume. ¾
FACULTY OF EDUCATION NEW DEAN Prof Molatlhegi Trevor (Chika) Sehoole has been appointed as Dean of the Faculty of Education with effect from 1 June 2016. He succeeds Prof Irma Eloff who completes two successive terms as Dean of the Faculty at the end of May.
He
has been Head of the Department of Education Management and Policy Studies in the Faculty of Education since 2011. Prof Sehoole has a BA in Pedagogics from the University of the North (now part of the University of Limpopo) and a Bachelor of Education, a master’s and a PhD in Education all from the University of the Witwatersrand. His academic career started as a lecturer in UP’s Faculty of Education in 2001. After his promotion to associate professor in 2007, he was seconded to the National Department of Education until 2010 where he held the positions of Chief Director: Higher Education Policy and Development Support, and Chief Director: Higher Education Planning and Management Support. Prof Sehoole is a Fullbright Scholar and was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Illinois in 2003 and 2004, where he was supported by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation. He has published extensively in the field of higher education. His single-authored book,
Democratizing higher education policy: Constraints of reform in post-apartheid South Africa was published by Routledge in 2005. He was co-editor of Internationalisation of African Higher Education: Towards achieving the MDGs published by Sense Publishers in 2013. He has authored or co-authored a number of published peer-reviewed policy briefs, chapters in scholarly volumes and articles in accredited journals in his fields of research specialisation. Between June 2013 and June 2014 he served on a task team of the Council on Higher Education, which conducted a 20-year review of the status of higher education in South Africa. During 2012 and 2013 he participated in a research initiative of the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), which focused on governance in higher education. An NRF-rated scientist, he maintains a number of active research collaborations nationally and internationally. He has been involved in various outreach projects in local communities. ¾
TUKKIE
11