Our Soweto Campus has long been plagued by intermittent power outages caused by both load shedding and the theft of electricity cables in the surrounding area. These disruptions have affected daily operations, impacting students, staff, and campus activities. I am thrilled to announce that significant steps have been taken to address this issue to ensure a more reliable power supply and minimise interruptions.
Marching ahead to Energy Resilience
We have successfully commissioned a power backup plant at our Soweto Campus, replacing nine separate generators. This is a significant achievement in ensuring that teaching and learning, as well as other activities on campus, are not disrupted. Beyond the impact on lecture halls, conference rooms, and student accommodation facilities, the power backup plant represents a milestone in our journey towards energy resilience and achieving the global target of net-zero carbon reduction by 2050. This power backup plant also demonstrates our continued commitment to innovation for societal impact and sustainability.
I am also pleased to announce that the Management Executive Committee (MEC) has approved the construction of an additional 1 MWp PV Solar plant on the Auckland Park Kingsway (APK) Campus, reinforcing our focus on harnessing renewable energy sources. Additionally, we have secured funding for a base-load gas-powered plant for the Auckland Park Bunting (APB) Campus. This is a significant step towards ensuring that our energy infrastructure is both robust and adaptable, which reflects our dedication to paving a sustainable path for future generations. Many thanks to our Chief Operating Officer, Dr Mpoti Relaphata, and his technical and project management teams, whose expertise and dedication have been instrumental to this success. I also thank our Chief Financial Officer, Ms Nolwazi Mamorare and her Finance team for their steadfast support.
UJ researchers ranked among world’s top scientists
On a different note, we have more good news on the academic front. As many as 82 UJ researchers have been featured in the latest the World’s Top 2% Scientists report released by Stanford University, in collaboration with Elsevier on 19 September 2025. The annual global list identifies the world’s most influential scientific minds based on comprehensive and standardised citation data drawn from Elsevier’s Scopus database and analysed by Stanford researchers. This is quite a feat, considering that scientists qualify either by being in the top 2% in their field or among the top 100,000 globally by composite c-score (with and without self-citations). The methodology incorporates multiple bibliometric indicators, including citations, h-index, and adjusted co-authorship measures. The list spans 22 scientific fields and 174 subfields and represents the top 2% of the nearly 9 million researchers worldwide. The inclusion of 82 UJ scientists places the University among Africa’s most research-active institutions. Click here to read more about this.
Wu Opera and Traditional Chinese Folk Arts
I extend my warm congratulations to UJ Arts and Culture for two remarkable milestones. On Saturday, 20 September, the UJ Choir celebrated 20 years of UJ with the University Choirs Concert 2025. This memorable occasion brought together the University of Pretoria Camerata, the North-West University PUK Choir, and the University of the Free State Bloemfontein Choir in a celebration of excellence, collaboration, and two decades of innovation in choral music. On Monday this week, the UJ Arts Centre came alive with the vibrant performance of Wu Opera and traditional Chinese folk arts, presented in partnership with the Chinese Consulate. This extraordinary event brought the richness of one of China’s most treasured cultural traditions to our campus, reaffirming UJ’s commitment to meaningful international collaboration and cultural exchange. These milestones remind us that the arts are not only central to the life of our University but also vital in strengthening connections across communities and nations. I commend the UJ Arts & Culture team for leading with vision, creativity, and dedication.
Celebrating UJ Sport Achievements
I am proud to share that two of our student-athletes, Lythe Pillay and Udeme Okon, helped put South Africa on the world stage by winning a bronze medal at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. They were part of the Men’s 4x400m Relay team that competed in the final on Sunday. Together with Olympic champion Wayde van Niekerk and Zakithi Nene, they ran a blistering race on a rain-soaked track. Meanwhile, in the Women’s Varsity Football, our athletes finished as silver medallists last Friday at the UJ Soweto Stadium. Our senior netball team’s impressive six-match winning streak came to an end this week with a tough loss to North-West University in the Varsity Netball tournament. While the result wasn’t what we hoped for, we celebrate their determination, teamwork, and remarkable achievements this season as we look forward to an even stronger comeback next year!
Media and Publicity
As South Africa paused to celebrate Heritage Day on Wednesday, 24 September, I shared some insights into the significance of this day. In my latest opinion article that appeared in the Daily Maverick, titled Preserving our heritage — embracing indigenous knowledge for future generations, I reflected on how preserving these knowledge systems is central to shaping a sustainable future. Indeed, during this month, we are called upon, as a nation, to celebrate what is being handed down to us. I invite you to read the article by clicking here.
High Tea with the VC
As previously communicated, I invite you to the next edition of the hybrid High Tea with the VC book discussion session on Friday, 26 September 2025. As we honour our diverse cultural heritage this September, we will discuss Mr Lebogang Seale’s (Senior Manager: Strategic Communications) book, One Hundred Years of Dispossession: My Family’s Quest to Reclaim Our Land. This award-winning book offers a powerful lens into the impact of land dispossession and the enduring quest for restitution. We will meet at the UJ Library, Chinua Achebe Auditorium, Level 6, APK Campus at 14h00 (CAT). RSVP here.
Messages of Gratitude
Finally, it was gratifying to see members of our community coming together in large numbers and connecting, engaging, and celebrating our unity and diversity at our Staff Day last week. As expected, the event lived up to its billing as a fun-filled occasion full of exhibitions, music performances and dance. Held under the theme A Legacy of Innovation, A Future of Possibilities, it honoured two decades of UJ innovation, excellence and diversity.
I also thank everyone who participated in the UJ annual Future Fun Run with Discovery Vitality in Auckland Park on Saturday. It was pleasing to see a vibrant mix of seasoned runners, social walkers, and families coming together to support a crucial cause: fundraising for academically deserving students who are unable to cover their tuition fees, a group often referred to as the “Missing Middle.” Special thanks to the event sponsor, Discovery, and the supporting partners, Lucky Star, Mentos and Sealand Gear, for their support, as part of our efforts to advance the UJ #HealthyCampusProgramme. I also thank the Minister of Higher Education and Training, Hon. Buti Manamela, for gracing this event and completing the 10km race.
Together, these events showcase the spirit of our UJ community, which celebrates innovation, unity and well-being, while supporting each other.
Ke a leboha, ngiyabonga, thank you, baie dankie!
Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi
Vice-Chancellor and Principal
