Durban — Between May 3 and May 11, 2023, the University of KwaZulu-Natal will be awarding seven leaders with honorary doctorates during the upcoming autumn graduation ceremonies.
On Wednesday, UKZN corporate relations division executive director, Normah Zondo, said the university would honour seven distinguished individuals for their remarkable achievements in the fields of arts, social sciences, and management.
“During the upcoming autumn graduation ceremonies, the university will confer honorary doctorates on a member of the AmaZulu royal family, Prince Bhekizizwe Zeblon Zulu; world-renowned musician Muziwakhe ‘Madala’ Kunene; former eThekwini city manager, Dr Michael Oliver Sutcliffe; the late former deputy minister Bavelile Gloria Hlongwa; respected architect, Paul Mikula; well-known academic on gender/women’s studies, Professor Obioma Nnaemeka; and, leading intellectual in African studies, Professor Kwame Anthony Appiah,” Zondo said.
She said that through innovation, extensive knowledge and expertise in their respective fields, the honorary graduands have positively impacted the lives of people in South Africa and globally.
Zondo added that the graduands would be capped at the university’s 2023 autumn graduation ceremonies which will commence on the Pietermaritzburg campus on Wednesday, May 3, and end at the Westville campus on Friday, May 12.
Who are the honorary graduands?
Prince Bhekizizwe Zeblon Zulu (Doctor of Literature) is a member of the AmaZulu royal family and a former member of the democratic National Assembly who has made a significant contribution to recording the rich history of the AmaZulu nation. A former adviser to the late King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu, Prince Zulu conducted extensive research on the history of the AmaZulu nation and on various cultural celebrations which were revived for modern-day relevance. Zulu will receive the honorary degree on May 11.
Muziwakhe ‘Madala’ Kunene (Doctor of Music) is a world-renowned guitarist who has earned a reputation as one of the leading guitarists in South Africa. Kunene has shared the stage with great musicians like Doc Mthalane, Songamasu, Shor Philips, Mankunku Ngozi and Busi Mhlongo. Kunene will receive the honorary degree on May 10.
Dr Michael Oliver Sutcliffe (Doctor of Administration) is a distinguished local government specialist whose contribution has shaped the South African municipal landscape. During the 1980s, Sutcliffe was an active member of the liberation movement led by the then-banned ANC alliance.
From 2002 to 2011, Sutcliffe served as the municipal manager for eThekwini Municipality. During this time, various innovations were introduced in eThekwini, some of which later became national policy.
They included the provision of free basic services (the first 9kl of water and the first 50kWh of electricity) to households. Under his leadership, eThekwini successfully hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup Soccer matches with more than R7 billion in new infrastructure built in the city as part of a 2010 and Beyond Plan. Sutcliffe will receive the honorary degree on May 9.
Bavelile Gloria Hlongwa (Doctor of Administration) is remembered as a champion of youth development, women empowerment and transformation. Hlongwa became an activist and took on various leadership roles at a young age. In 2009 she became the first female SRC president and used her position to advocate for a better social life for students and later served as deputy president of the UKZN Convocation.
In May 2019, Hlongwa was elected to South Africa’s National Assembly and was appointed as the Deputy Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy. Sadly, she passed away in September 2019 following a motor vehicle accident. The degree will be awarded posthumously on May 3.
Paul Mikula (Doctor of Architecture) is a respected architect who has made a significant contribution to the preservation and promotion of KwaZulu-Natal’s arts and cultural heritage. His love for Zulu culture, music, arts and crafts, saw him turn big ideas into reality. In 1995 he established the BAT Centre in leased premises on Durban’s Esplanade before founding the Phansi Museum in Glenwood, an African art centre housing an extensive collection of Zulu cultural artefacts, where he serves as managing trustee. Mikula will receive the honorary degree on May 10.
Professor Obioma Nnaemeka (Doctor of Social Science) is a distinguished scholar and an expert in the fields of gender/women's studies and development. She combines research and teaching with consultancy for the UN, the World Bank, governments, international agencies, and academic institutions. Nnaemeka will receive the honorary degree on May 10.
Professor Kwame Anthony Appiah (Doctor of Literature) is a leading African intellectual of our time. He has held senior positions in both philosophy and African studies at several of the world's most illustrious universities. He has published a vast, influential and celebrated body of work that is at the leading edge of current thinking about questions of identity, nationalism, cosmopolitanism, universal ethics, and progressive social change.
Appiah is unable to travel for health reasons and will therefore be awarded the honorary degree in absentia. Appiah will receive the honorary degree on May 10.
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