EDITORIAL

The 2020 academic year has been quite a challenge! Not a single person with a crystal ball could have foreseen the dramatic scenes that would unfold. I would usually be very excited about this time of the year: getting ready to wrap-up at work and feeling excited about the upcoming festive season.

Given that we are nowhere near wrapping up WSU’s 2020 academic year, my usual excitement has been replaced by apprehension. The threatening resurgence of the coronavirus and delayed projects leave me in a state of anxiety.

Be that as it may, I have to balance my fretfulness with the overly positive things WSU has achieved in 2020. I couldn’t be more proud of WSU’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. The speed at which the University responded with plans and counter-plans for managing campus access, distribution of laptops to academic staff and students, the speedy roll-out of PPEs, the awareness campaigns, etc. have impressed me. Not forgetting the agility and execution of the May 2020 graduation that left me enthralled.

What made us succeed was the ability and willingness to work as a team. People who are interwoven and work towards a common goal will always succeed. My wish is to see more togetherness, understanding, collaboration and support among WSU staff and students. For the sake of our future as an institution, we must always pull together. When divided, we will fall and when we fall, nobody will benefit - not staff, not students and certainly not our communities.

In trying to retain some normalcy, WSU will celebrate its staff in two upcoming events; the Long Service Awards on 19th November, which celebrates length of service in five year intervals. This event will see us celebrating 220 colleagues who have reached 10 years up to 40 years of service at WSU. The second event is the Vice-Chancellor’s Recognition Awards & on 23rd November, which celebrates excellence and outstanding achievement in the areas of Research, Learning & Teaching, Community Engagement and Support Services.

I would usually wish you all a happy festive season but because many of us, including students with have a short break, I want to wish you well and encourage you to stay home, stay safe and practice social distancing. Together we can overcome the pandemic.

Phambili WSU Phambili!

Yonela Tukwayo Executive Director: Marketing, Communication & Advancement