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Mbeki adds chancellor to his illustrious CV amid praise from former detractors

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Thabo Mbeki being inaugurated as Unisa chancellor. Picture: Deaan Vivier/Netwerk24
Thabo Mbeki being inaugurated as Unisa chancellor. Picture: Deaan Vivier/Netwerk24

Politicians put aside their differences and congratulated former president Thabo Mbeki as he was inaugurated as chancellor of the University of South Africa on Monday.

These included Blade Nzimande, the ANC itself (who recalled him as president in 2008) and one of his loudest critics, EFF leader Julius Malema.

The 74-year-old former statesman was congratulated by the ANC. The ANC’s spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said that “his vast knowledge and passion for Africa’s development and the generation of knowledge will make a unparalleled contribution to Unisa’s academic enterprise.”

Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande, who was in attendence, thanked Mbeki for accepting the role of chancellor and lauded him with high praise.

“Despite whatever differences we might have had, since I have known you from 1986, I want to say without fear of contradiction you are one of the greatest intellectuals produced by our movement,” Nzimande gushed. The SACP member was among those who defended Jacob Zuma and attacked Mbeki before his recall.

But most notable in his congratulations was Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema who tweeted: 

This is not the first time Malema has pubically “flirted” with Mbeki. Last year, during the run-up to the local elections, the EFF leader visited the ANC stalwart at his home and afterwards took to Twitter to clarify his visit saying “President Mbeki and I were/are only flirting. I don’t have feelings for him though.”

In his inaugural address as chancellor Mbeki spoke about two pressing issues, the recent surge in xenophobic tensions and funding for higher education.

‘‘We cannot now behave in a manner that treats fellow Africans who are now residents in the country as enemies or unwelcome guests,’’ he said, adding that South Africans should never forget the role other African countries played in the country’s struggle for liberation.

This resonated with the vision that Unisa has adopted, to become “the African university shaping futures in the service of humanity”.

Mbeki also called out those who organised and participated in attacks against foreigners, saying that what they were doing was nothing “revolutionary, progressive or patriotic, acceptable or of service to the people”.

On the funding for higher education topic, the former statesman said that he appreciated and understood the need for the “Rhodes Must Fall” and “Fees Must Fall” campaigns. He however condemned the violence that followed, saying “the student movement and our society as a whole must decisively turn their backs on the forms of protests rooted in the logic of cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face”.

Mbeki also asked if the state was spending enough on higher education, quickly adding that the answer to that question could only be addressed once the outcome of the fees commission is made public.

READ: Fees commission gets one step closer to higher education funding

“The state has finite resources. What is spent to address one social economic challenge constitutes a resource which is unavailable to address another challenge‚” he said.

Mbeki also spoke of the great work that his predecessor, Judge Bernard Ngoepe, had played in his 15 years at the institution.

“I take this opportunity to pledge that I will try to do my best to honour the tradition of chancellorship that he has pioneered, always mindful of his tutorship, to do the right thing while serving this university and our system of higher education as a whole.”

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