Chancellor Dr Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi
"The world is an altogether different place from what it was when many of you started your studies.”
She said the geopolitical environment globally has become more complex and more challenging, while the world seems to be retreating into isolationism, “and nationalism is again in the forefront of international relations”.
She said multilateralism, international solidarity, notions of social justice, equity and development are taking second place to self-interest.
“Indeed, selfish and chauvinistic transactional leadership seems to be displacing ethical leadership on the world stage. The values upon which international relations and exchanges have been based are being called into question.”
Furthermore, intolerance, insult, name calling and disinformation have become prominent features of political discourse in some quarters. The way untruths are peddled in politics and trumpeted in the social media space confirms “that we are indeed living in a post-truth age.
"Many of these trends have been emerging for some time, but their manifestations and conjunction are now clear for all to see.”
Dr Fraser-Moleketi said, “An alarming trend is the re-emergence of racism in various thinly veiled guises. As South Africans we have already experienced how lies and disinformation have been used to try to punish us for our championing of human rights, equality and diversity.
"We are also seeing how the conjunction of racism, disinformation and narrow self-interest has translated into the spectacle of certain organisations claiming to speak for Afrikaners claiming to be racially oppressed.”
She said it is staggering that a tiny group of privileged individuals ignore centuries of land dispossession and genuine racial oppression in order to subvert the democratic state’s attempts at redress by claiming (falsely) to be victims of racism. Among other things, it underscores the complexity of the national project in South Africa and the need for more level-headed dialogue and discussion.
For Dr Fraser-Moleketi, the impact of all of these unfolding developments has yet to become clear. “But it would not be a stretch to say that the geopolitical situation is going to have a severe impact on our economy and on international relations for millions of people around the world.
"Promoting social justice, respect, principle, equity and respecting diversity have suddenly become unfashionable in a political atmosphere of crass selfishness and bullying behaviour.”
Therefore, the values and principles Nelson Mandela University stands for are more important than ever before. “I mention this because it is incumbent on higher education institutions to take the long view, to ensure they produce graduates who can discern truth and principle in the fog of lies and deceit.”
She quoted from a book, titled, Higher Education Leadership for Democracy, Sustainability and Social Justice:
“Encouraged by demagogic leaders, many citizens believe that there can be such things as ‘alternative truths’ and ‘illiberal democracy’ and treat unwelcome facts as ‘fake news’. But higher education must do more than develop and disseminate knowledge and understanding. Higher education must influence the way individuals and societies behave. Higher education must lead.”
She urged graduates not to succumb to the paralysis of despondency, as they go out into the world with their new qualifications. As former president Thabo Mbeki said, “’… gloom and despondency have never defeated adversity. Trying times need courage and resilience. Our strength as a people is not tested during the best of times…. [W]e should never become despondent because the weather is bad, nor should we turn triumphalist because the sun shines.”
She told graduates that over and above their excellent disciplinary knowledge, “we hope we have inculcated intellectual curiosity and critical thinking, being responsible agents of change, integrity, resilience and adaptive expertise, and innovative, solutions-driven creativity.
"This is where you come in as a Mandela University graduate. Yours is the generation that needs to resolve the challenges we face globally and nationally.”
Dr Fraser-Moleketi said Nelson Mandela University, as an institution which strives to be in the service of society, expects its graduates to display social consciousness and responsible citizenship wherever they go and in whatever they do.