UMP Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Thenjiwe Meyiwa, highlighted the University’s commitment to preserving historical memory and using it to inspire meaningful action, emphasising that institutions of higher learning must cultivate socially conscious graduates who can engage critically with the challenges facing society.
“Excellence without purpose is insufficient for a developmental university. UMP sought to develop students who have the competence and courage to ask difficult questions about persistent injustice, inequality and the absence of certain voices in decision-making spaces,” she said.
Delivering the memorial lecture, President Cyril Ramaphosa used Nokuthula’s story to reflect on the responsibility of the present generation, particularly young people, to protect and advance the gains of democracy, drawing on the role young people have played in South Africa’s history.
“The young people today have an equally important role to play in shaping South Africa’s future,” said President Ramaphosa, expressing concern about lower levels of voter registration and participation among young people.
He called on young South Africans to participate actively in democratic processes and to use their constitutional rights to bring about meaningful change. He further emphasised that constitutional rights should not remain words on paper, but must become lived realities for all South Africans.
Professor Meyiwa emphasised that institutions of higher learning must cultivate socially conscious graduates.
Inequality, Transformation and Gender Equality
President Ramaphosa also reflected on the progress South Africa has made over the past three decades, while acknowledging that substantial economic inequalities remain, including a persistent wealth and income gap between black and white South Africans.
“Inclusive economic growth is essential to address the inequalities inherited from apartheid,” he said, highlighting opportunities presented by emerging industries, including renewable energy, electric vehicles and the digital economy.
However, significant challenges continue to affect women and girls, including school dropout rates linked to domestic responsibilities, limited access to sanitary products and the persistent scourge of gender-based violence and femicide,” he said.
President Ramaphosa's address highlighted the need for South Africa to continue confronting its past while addressing the inequalities that remain in the present.
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programme included a panel discussion.
Reconciliation and Accountability
The programme included a panel discussion titled Reconciliation vs Accountability in South Africa, featuring Professor Helen Scanlon, human rights advocate Yasmin Sooka and Jaxx Amahle.
The panellists highlighted the role of civil society, journalists, foundations and younger generations in continuing to demand justice, noting that accountability often requires sustained pressure rather than being achieved automatically through state institutions.
Historical education emerged as another key theme, with the panellists expressing concern that young people can become disconnected from South Africa’s history when the experiences of ordinary citizens are not sufficiently represented in the curriculum.
The discussion further questioned the expectation that black South Africans should simply “move on” from historical atrocities without adequate justice, remembrance and reparations.
Preserving History for Future Generations
For UMP, the establishment of the memorial lecture and the planned Nokuthula Simelane Centre represent a long-term institutional commitment to preserving historical knowledge while empowering future generations to engage critically with the past and contribute to building a more just and inclusive society.
The inaugural Nokuthula Simelane Memorial Lecture therefore served not only as a commemoration, but also as a call for continued action. It brought together historical memory, academic scholarship and public leadership to encourage a deeper national conversation about justice, accountability, reconciliation and social transformation.
Story by Cleopatra Makhaga. Pictures by JB Creative Cinema. Copyright © UMP.