and shared responsibility for student success. This initiative is not only about mobilising resources, but also about renewing a sense of belonging, duty, and solidarity among graduates. It is about recognising that those who have benefited from the opportunities of this University also carry a responsibility to help open doors for others. One of the bold aspirations of this term is to rally alumni and partners behind a R10 million mobilisation goal to support students and graduates who remain financially excluded, despite having completed their studies. Among them are those whose sponsors or funders experienced
for deepening alumni participation, raising the profile of Convocation, and channelling collective energy towards the advancement of the University and its students. In an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and rapid technological change, alumni leadership must also speak to the challenges of our time. As a University community, we should encourage innovation, but we must also guard against misinformation, unethical digital practices, and misleading AI narratives that promise transformation without substance, accountability, or social value. Our responsibility is to champion ethical, human- centred, and credible innovation that serves society rather than deceives it. The call, then, is clear: to build a Convocation that is not only present, but purposeful; not only visible, but valuable; not only proud of the University’s past but actively shaping its future. Through ThutoKeMatla, through ethical leadership, and through a renewed spirit of Ubuntu, Convocation can be reclaimed as a true force for belonging, restoration, and shared impact.
financial hardship, as well as many in the so- called missing middle, who fell outside traditional funding mechanisms and were left carrying debt they could not settle. For some, this has meant the painful reality of completing their qualifications yet being unable to access their certificates and fully move forward with their lives and careers. This is not simply about fundraising; it is about restoring hope, dignity, and possibility. It is about building a university community in which those who have gone before consciously reach back to lift those who remain at the threshold of their achievement. Encouragingly, this vision is already finding practical expression. Since October 2025, Convocation has already begun contributing towards the broader R10 million mobilisation goal for this term of office through partnership building and targeted support initiatives. A notable early example is a donation facilitated through Hitachi, consisting of laptops and related student accessories for UJ students in disciplines such as Engineering, to the value of R187 277. This contribution demonstrates that Convocation can serve as a practical platform for mobilising support, building partnerships, and advancing student success. ThutoKeMatla must also find expression in inclusive alumni organising. As part of this collective agenda, there is value in mobilising dedicated platforms through the Office of the President, including a UJ Women Alumni Forum and a UJ Youth Alumni Forum. These forums can provide spaces for leadership, mentorship, dialogue, and targeted action around the specific social, economic, and professional challenges facing women and young alumni in South Africa today. Through such platforms, alumni can build solidarity, while also contributing meaningfully to understanding problems, shaping responses, and advancing practical pathways for those who often carry disproportionate burdens in society. By bringing together distinguished alumni, leaders, and strategic stakeholders, it offers an opportunity to position Convocation as a meaningful convenor of ideas, influence, and action. These engagements are not ends in themselves; they are vehicles
THE PHRASE ITSELF CARRIES A SIMPLE YET PROFOUND TRUTH: EDUCATION IS POWER. THROUGH THUTOKEMATLA, CONVOCATION SEEKS TO INSPIRE A CULTURE OF ALUMNI GIVING, EDUCATIONAL EMPOWERMENT, AND SHARED RESPONSIBILITY FOR STUDENT SUCCESS. THIS INITIATIVE IS NOT ONLY ABOUT MOBILISING RESOURCES, BUT ALSO ABOUT RENEWING A SENSE OF BELONGING, DUTY, AND SOLIDARITY AMONG GRADUATES.
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ALUMNI IMPUMELELO
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