Nelson Mandela University

- Inaugural Lecture of Professor Leward Jeke

Reply slip for procession:
https://forms.mandela.ac.za/ceremonies/

The lecture will be live-streamed: https://www.youtube.com//

SHINING A LIGHT ON EVERYDAY HEROES.

Do you know someone who is making a real difference in Nelson Mandela Bay? Someone who gives their time, uplifts others, and helps build a stronger community?

The Herald, in partnership with Nelson Mandela University , is calling on you to help us celebrate those whose impact is felt far and wide — even if their efforts often go unseen.

As Nelson Mandela said, “It is in your hands to make a better world for all who live in it.” Do you know someone who strives to make a difference everyday? Share their story with us and give them the recognition they deserve.

Nominate your local hero here: www.bit.ly/HeraldCitizens2026. Nominations close at midday on Monday, 29 June.

SPAR Eastern Cape I Continental I Coega Development Corporation (Pty) Ltd I Nedbank I Boardwalk Hotel and Casino I Vodacom I Capsicum Culinary Studio I Kingfisher FM I JTC Caterers I Hugo Studio I Three Peaks Wine

BOOK LAUNCH - BUILDING BRIDGES: Reflecting on Learning and Teaching, Research and Engagement

Event location: North Campus Conference Centre

Event date and time: 31/07/2026 14:00

RSVP: Book Launch
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfGp45fAZhgXzH9R0oO6WoknypEWjVD0kqHjVhWtYJCEEGS4A/viewform

Nelson Mandela University celebrated six Alumni Rising Stars and five Achievers at its annual awards ceremony recently. The awards recognise alumni who have gone the distance and beyond in their various fields, to the benefit of society at local, provincial, national and international level!

A special award was also conferred upon Prof Alex Bashasha, PhD graduate, for his role in advancing the Uganda alumni chapter and the university as well as his achievements in his profession, as a business leader, diplomat and philanthropist.

Achiever award recipients included Computer Science graduate, Katherine Booth de Lange, Senior Vice President Operations: BU Ops at 8am in the US; Ceramic design graduate, Andile Dyalvane who is internationally celebrated as one of South Africa’s leading contemporary ceramic artists; BSc (QS) graduate Delana Finlayson who is a respected quantity surveyor, entrepreneur, and social impact leader whose work has advanced urban transformation and community development in South Africa; Denise van Huyssteen, a respected business leader and strategic communications executive who is the current CEO of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber and BEd graduate, Eloise Webb who has distinguished herself as one of South Africa’s leading women’s rugby players, representing the country in both the Springbok Women’s Sevens and XV teams.

Rising Star award recipients included BA (Media, Communication and Culture) graduate Lerato Fekisi, an award-winning journalist and communications professional recognised for her impactful storytelling and commitment to public-interest journalism; Siyamthanda Mbalo who holds BSc (Construction Economics) and BSc Honours (Quantity Surveying) degrees and has established herself as a rising professional in South Africa’s construction and infrastructure sector; Fashion and Textile Design graduate Gugu Peteni who is the founder and Creative Director of GUGUBYGUGU, an emerging force in the sustainable African luxury fashion sector; Sport Management graduate Lindsay Weyer who is part of the Springbok management team and one of South Africa’s leading rugby performance analysts; Architecture graduates Nikhil Tricam and Nindya Bucktowar who are co-founders of Studio Kalki. The couple are visionary South African designers whose work is redefining contemporary African art, architecture, and collectible design on the global stage.

We are proud of our alumni who lives the institutional values and changing the world!

Please be advised that the library will operate according to the Recess Hours Schedule from 23 June to 5 July 2026.

We encourage all library users to take note of the adjusted operating hours and plan their visits accordingly. Access to electronic resources, databases, e-books, and online library services will remain available 24/7 via the library website.

For detailed opening hours for each campus library, please visit the Library Hours page: https://library.mandela.ac.za/Library-Hours

Bridging science, communities and activism for ocean sustainability

Protecting oceans and coastal communities as the planetary polycrisis takes hold requires more than scientific expertise alone. It demands collaboration across disciplines, sectors and knowledge systems, according to participants at a recent Transdisciplinary Ocean Sciences and Ocean Sustainability Activism Symposium hosted by Nelson Mandela University and the University of South Africa’s (UNISA) Centre for Black Planetary Studies.

The symposium held at Mandela University’s Ocean Sciences campus brought together community leaders, environmental activists, researchers and students to engage in critical discussions on ocean sustainability, climate justice, heritage, transdisciplinary knowledge systems and regenerative approaches to coastal futures.

Professor Andre Keet, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Engagement and Transformation, said in his opening remarks: “The ocean matters deeply. Not as an abstract object of study, but as the ocean is a living system tied to livelihoods, food security, memory, migration and loss. Oceans carry stories of connection, but also histories of extraction and dispossession. They have always been political.”

Read the full story here: https://news.mandela.ac.za/News/Bridging-science,-communities-and-activism-for-oce

Highlights: https://youtu.be/82BQjCF9rQk?si=zbqWtGoLMv3JtHp9

Your Honours Journey Starts Now

Ready for the next step? Honours at Nelson Mandela University helps you build expertise in your field.
Applications are now open.

https://postgraduate.mandela.ac.za/

Closing date: 30 September 2026.