Passing the baton

31 July 2020 -

Virtual global reunion connects Witsies across the globe.

The first global alumni reunion which saw Vice-Chancellor, Professor Adam Habib introduce Vice-Chancellor designate, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi to the global alumni community was a huge success.

Although it was held as a virtual event as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, it nevertheless gave more than 800 alumni from over 20 countries an opportunity to connect and engage over two sessions to accommodate time zone differences. Many alumni had the chance to share their well wishes and posed challenging questions to the professors.

Recordings of the sessions are available on the Wits Alumni YouTube channel here and here.

Left to right: Professor Adam Habib, Professor Zeblon Vilakazi, Dr Stanley Bergman and Professor Colin Bundy

Both Professor Colin Bundy, trustee of the Wits Foundation UK, and Dr Stanley Bergman, Chairman of the Wits Fund, paid tribute to the sterling leadership shown by Professor Habib over the past few years. They highlighted his success at not only enhancing Wits¡¯ academic output but also raising its stature and providing innovative clarity on the University¡¯s role during a time of transformation. They noted how Professor Vilakazi was best suited to take over the role as VC in 2021: ¡°Zeblon possesses a powerful vision, an in-depth experience and the ability to cultivate relationships with key internal and external stakeholders which will enable him to lead the university through a difficult period both from an economic and institutional point of view,¡± said Dr Bergman.

Congratulations Prof Vilakazi. Wishing you all the best for the future. You have our support to make Wits a success.
Rendani Neluvhalani, London, UK

Vice-Chancellor Habib spoke about Wits¡¯ efforts to address the challenges inequality posed to continuing access to teaching during the pandemic. He also highlighted the University¡¯s successful transition online; the contributions made by academics to advise and critique government on health and economic policy; the groundbreaking drug therapies and vaccine developments on the medical front; as well as Wits¡¯ scientists assisting to model and map the pandemic. ¡°Wits has been responding comprehensively and ensuring that South Africa addresses the pandemic in an appropriate way.¡±

He urged support for the plans to celebrate the University¡¯s centenary in 2022, and the associated campaign which hopes to draw resources into a student endowment fund to subsidise capable students who do not have the means to study at Wits.

Thank you for all you have done for Wits, Prof Habib. You have a worthy successor in Prof Vilakazi. 
Rob Fryer, Connecticut, USA

Professor Vilakazi said he looked forward to the next period of growth at the University, which will be driven by innovations in technology. ¡°Wits must be central to that. Our graduates must be leaders in spawning new technologies that speak to the realities of being located on the African continent, yet being globally connected to the world community.¡±

Professor Habib closed by urging alumni to back the VC designate: ¡°I¡¯ve had an incredible seven years. There have been some difficult years. I would not have managed that without the incredible support of alumni, from many parts of the world. I want to thank each one of you for that, but I want to urge you to provide that same support to Zeblon Vilakazi because he will be leading this institution of ours under very difficult conditions. He can only succeed through the support he gets from every one of us.¡±

These were some of the comments made during the reunion chat: