University News

13/04/2026

The latest Nelson Mandela University information to keep you informed and up to date. This features news stories about outstanding achievements, new developments, announcements and successes at our University.

Student-led Creative Media Lab to boost graduate employability

Nelson Mandela University has officially launched the Humanities Creative Media Lab, a student-driven creative media agency designed to prepare graduates for the world of work.

The recent launch took place at the University’s Ocean Sciences Campus, where the Lab is also situated.

From left, Shoeshoe Qhu (MDDA CEO), Prof Pamela Maseko (Executive Dean) and Moipane Malefane, MDDA Board Member.

Conceptualised and developed by the Faculty of Humanities under the leadership of the Schools of Language, Media & Communication, and Visual and Performing Arts, the Lab was realised in partnership with the Media Development & Diversity Agency (MDDA) and the Economic Development Fund (EDF), with a contribution of more than R1,15 million.

The EDF, established in 2017 and administered by the MDDA, was created in response to findings by the Competition Tribunal, which highlighted persistent exclusionary practices and structural imbalances within South Africa’s media sector.

With this support, the Creative Media Lab responds to the growing need for graduates with practical industry experience by integrating real-world project work into the student learning experience.

Mandela University congratulates Council Chair on Constitutional Court appointment

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Nelson Mandela University warmly congratulates its Chairperson of Council, Judge Nambitha Dambuza, on her appointment to serve in the Constitutional Court of South Africa.

Judge Nambitha Dambuza

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced Judge Dambuza as one of two new appointees to the Constitutional Court, in terms of section 174(4) of the Constitution.

Judge Dambuza’s elevation to the apex court reflects her steadfast dedication to justice, integrity and the rule of law.

She has served with distinction as a judge of the Supreme Court of Appeal of South Africa since 2015, including a period as Acting President of that court.

Dr Fraser-Moleketi delivers final graduation address as Chancellor at George Campus graduation

Nelson Mandela University’s outgoing Chancellor, Dr Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, presided over her final two graduation ceremonies at the University’s George Campus yesterday (31 March 2026), bringing to a close a distinguished chapter of leadership marked by purpose, reflection and a call to action for graduates.

Addressing the autumn graduation ceremonies, which saw 599 students graduate over two sessions, Dr Fraser-Moleketi described the occasion as both celebratory and deeply personal, marking the culmination of her tenure as Chancellor.

“The two graduation ceremonies today at George Campus hold profound personal significance for me. They are the final two I will preside over as Chancellor of Nelson Mandela University, as my term of office draws to a close,” she said.

Reflecting on her eight years in office, she spoke of the privilege of conferring qualifications on thousands of graduates, describing them as “torchbearers for our nation and your families”, and emphasising the enduring impact of higher education in shaping students’ individual futures and that of society at large.

Advancing energy innovation through China study tour

Nelson Mandela University is strengthening its role in global energy innovation following a recent study tour to China by Professor Ernst Ferg from the Department of Chemistry.

The visit formed part of the Department of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI) battery consortium initiative, which aims to build international partnerships in the rapidly evolving fields of battery technology and new energy vehicles (NEVs).

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The delegation, with Mandela University's Prof Ernst Ferg second from left, engaging with research and academic staff at Tsinghua University.

The South African delegation comprising 11 members, represented government, academia, research institutions and industry and explored collaboration opportunities with Chinese counterparts.

Advancing South Africa’s capabilities in energy storage technologies is becoming increasingly critical amid rising energy demands and the global transition towards sustainable solutions.

Nelson Mandela University launches Language Policy

The revised Nelson Mandela University Language Policy positions isiXhosa, Afrikaans and English as languages of learning and teaching, assessment, administration and engagement.

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Central to the policy is a commitment to advancing isiXhosa as a scientific language – one that can function as a medium of instruction and a language of scholarship.

Underpinned by principles of epistemic access, the re-intellectualisation of isiXhosa, and the recognition of all languages as sources of knowledge, the policy foregrounds multilingualism as a critical enabler of student success and inclusive institutional culture.

The policy launch concludes the second annual Multilingualism Indaba that the University, in partnership with Rhodes University, is hosting this week.

Nelson Mandela University research drafts first guidelines for rehab robots

A person sitting in a chairAI-generated content may be incorrect. Nelson Mandela University researcher and lecturer in Applied Technologies Xolile Zepe has produced South Africa’s first guidelines for socially assistive rehabilitation robots, targeting critical gaps in lower limb therapy in public healthcare.

Nelson Mandela University researcher Xolile Zepe

The study, completed in December 2025 at Mandela University, found no South African rehabilitation facility currently using socially assistive robots for lower limb therapy.

He found that 80% therapists surveyed across four provinces did not know about the technology. Zepe’s work sets out nine evidence-based guidelines to help the sector assess adoption, address legal uncertainty and manage risk in a system already under strain.

“It goes back to even before I came to the University,” Zepe says. “My sister was involved in an accident … they said that she will never walk again.”

Issued with a wheelchair at a public hospital in Gqeberha, his older sister was advised to attempt exercises at home if possible and the family immediately went to work on her rehabilitation programme.

Zepe, who attended Tyhilulwazi Senior Secondary School, remembers walking around the backyard with her after school each afternoon.

Nelson Mandela University academic wins SAFTA for land rights documentary

Mathonga Elizwe – Spirits of the Land, a documentary co-produced and led by Nelson Mandela University academic, Dr Mnqobi Ngubane, recently won Best Documentary Short at the South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs).

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From left, Tsogo Kupa (Director), Dr Mnqobi Ngubane and Rehad Desai (Co-producer). (Co-producer Anita Khanna not pictured).

Hosted at the Gallagher Convention Centre from 13 to 14 March under the unifying theme, “One Story. One Industry. One Future,” the 19th annual edition of the premier national awards (SAFTAs19) recognises outstanding creative works from the past 18 months, spanning feature films, documentaries, TV dramas and soapies that have shaped the nation’s film and television landscape.

Mathonga Elizwe explores the lives of the last remaining Black communities living on white-owned land in South Africa today. These are generations of former labour tenants and farm workers who have lived and worked on this land for centuries, with legitimate claims to farmland.

George Campus leads global drive to prepare Mandela University graduates for green economy jobs

As the demand for green skills accelerates across South Africa, Nelson Mandela University’s George Campus is spearheading an international project aimed at reshaping how universities prepare students for work in the sustainability-driven economy.

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AI-generated content may be incorrect. The three-year collaboration, Future21: Multidisciplinary Socio-Ecological Education in South Africa for Sustainability, brings together seven institutions from South Africa, Finland and Norway to redesign teaching and learning around real-world socio-ecological challenges — from climate resilience to natural resource management.

Officially launched on 1 January this year, it was recently introduced during an online soft launch.

Rather than treating sustainability as a niche field, the project seeks to embed it across disciplines, equipping graduates with the systems-thinking skills required to navigate complex environmental, economic and social pressures.