Dear UJ community,

This week marked the beginning of Spring, heralding a season of warmth, hope and renewal. September is also known as Heritage Month in South Africa in honour of our diverse cultures, history, and languages. As we embrace the new season, we are also reminded of the substantial progress that our country has made in expanding basic service delivery and improving the living conditions of many of our people since the 1994 democratic breakthrough. Sadly, this progress has been stunted by corruption, a scourge that hurts the most vulnerable of our society.

Combating Corruption Summit 2026 spotlights the importance of transparency and accountability

On Wednesday, I had the honour of delivering an opening address at the third edition of the Combating Corruption Summit, one of our flagship annual events. Convened by UJ’s Office of the General Counsel, the summit seeks to co-develop actionable strategies for a transparent and accountable society. It is part of UJ’s broader commitment to creating platforms where research, public policy, professional expertise and societal perspectives can intersect to address complex challenges facing South Africa. The summit brought together influential voices from government, business, academia, law, civil society, and law enforcement. This year’s event was held under the theme, Taking Action, Ensuring Accountability, with Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, Hon.  Mmamoloko Kubayi, among the distinguished experts who delivered keynote addresses.

As I said in my opening address, failures in governance, procurement and accountability are often symptoms of a deeper problem involving how leaders and individuals understood their responsibilities to the institutions and communities they served. We also need to prioritise protecting whistleblowers if we are to rebuild confidence among people who speak out against wrongdoing and create an environment where accountability is understood as a collective responsibility. It was pleasing to hear the Minister highlighting this issue as part of the government’s plans to combat fraud and corruption. Other highlights included a keynote address by National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Advocate Andy Mothibi and the Public Protector Advocate, Kholeka Gcaleka. Additionally, SCOPA Chairperson Songezo Zibi and Executive Head: Compliance and Governance at Nedbank, Bongani Sibanyoni, featured in a fireside conversation titled Integrity Under Pressure: Leadership When the Stakes Are Highest. I thank the Office of the General Counsel, led by Mr Dries Pretorius, and everyone who contributed to this successful event. To read more about this and other contributions by distinguished experts, click here.

Journalists’ role in reporting on migration issues takes centre stage at the 2026 MTN Media Innovation Summit

Also, this week, UJ, through the Centre for Data and Digital Communications (CDDC), hosted the 2026 MTN Media Innovation Summit. The summit is part of the MTN Media Innovation Programme, a collaborative initiative involving UJ, MTN and Pan Atlantic University (PAU), Nigeria. This year’s summit was held on Tuesday and Wednesday under the theme “Media and Social Cohesion in a Divided World: Spotlighting Nigeria–South Africa Relations.” It brought together media professionals, academics, industry leaders and other stakeholders who engaged in critical conversations about the role of media in strengthening social cohesion and relations across the African continent. Delegates examined how the media can ethically, responsibly and accurately report on social cohesion issues in both South Africa and Nigeria in ways that foster cultural understanding and social coexistence.

Former High Commissioner of South Africa to Nigeria, H.E. Thamsanqa Mseleku, delivered the keynote address. He reflected on contemporary issues affecting the continent, especially the migration challenges that often lead to interstate conflict. He said poverty and unemployment were the root causes of migration and conflict, and that Africa must translate wealth into opportunity to reduce pressures that exacerbate cross-border tensions. Hosting initiatives like the MTN Media Innovation Summit directly reinforces UJ’s strategic commitment to pan-African collaboration and impactful scholarship. As Professor Kammila Naidoo (Executive Dean: Faculty of Humanities) said, the summit provides an opportunity to build relationships and networks that extend well beyond the programme. To read more about this, click here.

Research and Innovation

As indicated recently, I have been impressed by the volume and quality of research output coming out of University, especially by our women academics. The latest exciting news is that our Ubuntu Lab in the Department of Biochemistry, within the Faculty of Science, has embarked on new research to investigate how snake and scorpion venoms target cancer cells in the laboratory. The research seeks to empower villages with the skills to understand the differences among venoms from snakes and scorpions, and among members of the same species or family. As Prof Lizelle Piater, who leads the research, explains, snake and scorpion venoms differ based on their geographical location. But then, even that depends on their reptiles’ diets, their age, their prey and even whether they are male or female. For this reason, the venom from a cobra from South Africa and a cobra from Egypt will be different, even if they were the same species. To read more about this exciting research, click here.

High Tea With the VC

As we celebrate Heritage Month, I have the pleasure of inviting you to our next High Tea with the VC book discussion next week, on Friday, 11 September 2026. We turn our attention to Chinua Achebe’s acclaimed novel, A Man of the People, for a thought-provoking discussion on leadership, power, society and the complexities of the African experience. Achebe’s work remains remarkably relevant decades after its publication, inviting readers to reflect on the relationship between leaders and citizens, political power, public responsibility and the societies we build. For a robust conversation on this book, I will be joined by four of UJ’s distinguished academics.

They are Professors Vicky Graham (Senior Director: Strategic Initiatives and Administration), Siphiwo Mahala (Acting Director: Johannesburg Institute for Advanced Study, and Editor in Chief of Imbiza Journal for African Writing), Bhaso Ndzendze (Senior Director: Division for Global Engagement, Professor of Politics and International Relations) and Mandla Radebe (Associate Professor in the Department of Strategic Communication). Don’t miss out on this meaningful conversation as we celebrate Heritage Month through the lens of African literature. We will meet at the usual time of 14h00 (CAT) at the UJ Library, Auckland Park Kingsway Campus. For in-person attendance, register here.

Celebrating Student Achievements

Our students continue to make us proud with their outstanding achievements every week. Please join me in congratulating Pheliswa Msele, our third-year student in the Department of Accountancy, who has been selected as a Top 6 finalist in the 2026 SAICA Student Leadership Awards. This means that, for the third consecutive year, UJ has a Top 6 finalist in the prestigious competition. The SAICA Student Leadership Awards are designed to recognise and develop student leaders who demonstrate responsible leadership, innovation and a commitment to creating sustainable social impact. The awards encourage students studying towards SAICA-related qualifications to develop community-based projects that respond to real social challenges and contribute to one or more of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

Pheliswa’s project, Mother Tongue Intellect, was selected for its potential to promote inclusion and equal access to meaningful learning opportunities. The project aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities, as it seeks to address barriers that may limit participation, representation and educational advancement, particularly where language can affect access to knowledge and opportunity. Palesa’s selection as a Top 6 finalist reflects the quality of her submission, her leadership potential and her commitment to using her knowledge and skills to contribute positively to society.

Celebrating Sport Achievements

Please join me in congratulating Leendert Koekemoer, our student-athlete, who has set a new national record in the Under-20 400m sprint at the Grand Prix in Brescia, Italy. This one is for the history books, as Koekemoer took down a landmark national record that had stood unchallenged for over three decades. He ran the 400m in just 44.52 seconds, securing a gold medal for South Africa. The record belonged to Riaan Dempers, who set the previous standard of 45.15 seconds back in 1994. Dempers’s mark stood as a towering benchmark for 31 years, resisting the challenge of generations of elite junior talent. This is fantastic – congratulations, Leendert, for representing both UJ and South Africa with such a master class!

In other sports news, our Senior Men’s and Women’s Football and Netball Teams continue to excel in the Varsity Football and Netball tournaments. Thus far, UJ has not lost a single match in all four of its fixtures since the start of the tournaments. Kudos to the players, coaches and the UJ Sport Management for these stellar performances! Lastly, I extend my very best wishes to the UJ six student-athletes and three staff members who will be representing South Africa at the FISU World University Championship Rugby Sevens in Stellenbosch. Go make us proud!

Second Semester VC Campus Engagements

Next week marks the beginning of the Second Semester VC Campus Engagements. The first of these events will be at the Soweto Campus on Thursday, 10 September 2026. We will meet at the VIP Lounge, Imbizo Hall, between 13h00 – 14h30. Members of the University’s Management Executive Committee (MEC) and the Executive Leadership Group (ELG) will reflect on the progress we have made this year and other important developments at our University. These events also provide a platform for our staff to raise any matters and concerns that can contribute towards the growth of our institution.

The rest of the events are scheduled as follows (venues and times to be confirmed closer to the events):

• Tuesday, 15 September 2026: APK Campus
• Monday, 21 September 2026: Auckland Park Bunting Campus
• Monday, 28 September 2026: Doornfontein Campus

If there are any specific issues you would like addressed or any questions you would like answered, please send them to bernicem@uj.ac.za.

REMINDER: UJ SRC Elections 2026

After several weeks of campaigning and lobbying, we have now entered a critical moment in the UJ Student Representative Council (SRC) elections for 2027. The elections for the UJSRC 2027 leadership will be held next week from Wednesday, 9 September to Friday, 11 September 2026. These elections serve a legitimate platform for students to choose leaders who can bridge the gap between the student body and university management. This ensures that academic and welfare concerns are addressed. Therefore, I again encourage all eligible students to exercise their voice and participate in this important democratic process. To be held online, the elections will open at 09h00 and close at 17h00.

Your vote is an opportunity to choose the student leaders who you believe will best represent your interests, champion the issues that matter to you and contribute positively to the UJ community. Additionally, I urge you to carefully consider the respective candidates and their visions, engage with the election process, and make an informed choice. Every vote matters, and every student has a role to play in shaping the student leadership of our University. Click here to cast your vote.

Kea leboha, ngiyabonga, baie dankie, thank you!

Professor Letlhokwa Mpedi: Vice-Chancellor and Principal

Times mentioned in this newsletter refer to the South African time-zone.