Dr Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka has been appointed as the new Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg and is due to start her five-year tenure in October this year.
In addition to being the first woman to have served as the country's Deputy President between 2005 and 2008, Dr Mlambo Ngcuka boasts a well-distinguished résumé as she has held positions which include United Nation's (UN) Under-Secretary-General and that of the Executive Director of UN Women.
She says that although it is a job where one does not maintain a constant presence and a hands-on role in an institution’s affairs, she will do her best to support the university’s efforts towards growth as an institution.
She adds that at the moment she is not sure what the university has planned since she has not yet started, universities should go the extra mile ensuring that information is made available to students through other means.
The Former Deputy President also points that since higher education is dependent on collaboration with various other institutions, she will make use of all the resources at her disposal to ensure the university benefits.
She states that she takes a keen interest in seeing a more collaborative effort between all of the country’s other universities as they share the same problems.
Mlambo-Ngcuka will take over from Njabulo Ndebele. The UJ Council has thanked Ndebele for his contribution to the institution.
Mlambo-Ngcuka's inauguration will be announced later.
