The announcement comes after the university made a call for nominations to fill the vacancy in April. Two black women – Dr Judy Dlamini and Dr Anele Mngadi – have both been nominated as the candidates to replace current chancellor, former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke‚ whose term ends in November this year.
Dr Mngadi is a university professor, a non-executive chairman and a community builder whose qualifications include a BCom in financial management from the University of Cape Town (UCT), an LLB from Wits, an MCom in financial management from UCT, an MBA from Wits and the University of St Gallen in Switzerland, and a PhD in public policy and development management from Wits, among others.
According to Wits, her long list of qualifications hasn’t isolated her from the realities faced by everyday people and she has shown that disadvantaged people, as well as the youth and their education, are very close to her heart. “She employed her interdisciplinary expertise and academic prowess to yield economic benefits as a tool to address social needs. Through her extensive social research and community involvement, Dr Mngadi continues to serve the previously disadvantaged individuals to transition from extreme poverty to gainful assimilation into mainstream economy, through her foundation Emangadini Foundation.”
She recently completed an LLB at Wits with her daughter, Niña Hammond, after Niña’s studies were affected by a family tragedy. Anele decided to enrol for the degree to encourage and support her daughter and said at the time that she’d “be a brilliant teacher the day my daughter passes family law.”
Speaking to DRUM, the 50-year-old mother of two said: “What encouraged me to continue studying is that with every qualification came better prospects to be in mainstream economy, to explore the world and to generate enough income not only for my biological children but to support my community through the Emangadini Foundation, an NGO I formed for children in need of care to eradicate poverty through education.”
“As an academic specialising in economic development, who is immersed in student affairs and community needs on a daily basis, I understand the direction education should take to stimulate the South African economy from the grassroots,” she explained.
“My stance is that the Chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand needs a vibrant outlook to break away from the stifling past and integrate learners from all walks of life to participate in transforming our economy in a meaningful way,”
She added, “Taking into account my passion for education coupled with my vast experience in economic development, business administration, banking, philanthropy, and the myriad of leadership roles I have assumed, I believe that I can provide the expertise to take the institution to the 21st century inclusivity.”
Wits’ other candidate for the chancellor position has just as formidable a CV as Anele.
In its announcement, Wits stated, “Dr Judy Dlamini, a medical doctor by training, is a leading business woman, entrepreneur, author and philanthropist. Her major attribute is creating and adding value to society and humanity. Judy has worked in different sectors of the economy using her diverse skills sets and degrees in different subject areas.”
Her qualifications include an MBChB from the University of Natal, an MBA from Wits and a Stanford innovation and entrepreneurship certificate from Stanford University in the US, among others.
