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17 September 2021 | Story Lacea Loader | Photo Supplied
Mr David Noko, newly appointed Chairperson of the UFS Council.

During its third scheduled meeting for the year that took place virtually on 17 September 2021, the Council of the University of the Free State (UFS) appointed Mr David Noko as Chairperson for a term of four years, as from 1 October 2021.

Mr Noko, who was Deputy Chairperson of the Council, will take over the Chairpersonship from Dr Willem Louw, whose term will come to an end on 30 September 2021.
 
“On behalf of the Council, I congratulate Mr Noko and wish him all the best during his term of leading the Council of the UFS. With the skills and competence available in the Council, complemented by Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor, and his team, he has access to a formidable group of individuals to support him in the execution of this very important role,” said Dr Louw during the meeting. 
 
“I am humbled and honoured for the opportunity and thank the Council for their confidence and trust in me. Since serving on the Council, I have become an ambassador of the University of the Free State, talking to many stakeholders about the institution and how much it should be supported. I am here to serve and look forward to doing so in a professional and dignified manner, together with everyone on the Council and with the leadership of the university,” said Mr Noko.
 
Mr Noko is well-known and respected internationally as a business leader. He has a National Higher Diploma in Mechanical Engineering from the Technikon Witwatersrand (now the University of Johannesburg), a Management Development Programme (MDP) Certificate from the University of the Witwatersrand, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Company Directorships from the Graduate Institute of Management and Technology. He also completed a master’s degree in Business Administration at the Heriot-Watt University and a Senior Executive Programme at the London Business School.
 
Before retiring from the corporate world in 2019, Mr Noko was the Executive Vice-President of AngloGold Ashanti, where he was responsible for the company’s global Sustainable Development and Government Relations portfolios. His career began at the General Electric Company (GEC) before moving to South African Breweries in 1987, and then to Pepsi-Cola International in 1994, where he gained extensive international exposure and global experience.
 
In 1999, Mr Noko was appointed as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Air Chefs (Pty) Ltd in South Africa, before joining De Beers in 2002. In 2006, he was appointed Managing Director and CEO of De Beers Consolidated Mines Limited (DBCM), and in 2010 he founded his own company, CelaCorp (Pty) Ltd. He also founded ESG Advisory (Pty) Ltd, a company providing advisory services to corporates relating to environment, social and governance matters, mostly focusing on mining companies.
 
He is a member of the Institute of Directors SA and served on the boards of Royal Bafokeng Platinum Limited, Harmony Gold (Deputy Chairman), AstraPak Ltd, and PlatiStone Holdings (Chairman). He is currently a board director of African Rainbow Minerals Ltd, Tongaat Hulett Ltd, and Aveng Moolmans (Pty) Ltd.

The Council also thanked Dr Louw for his service and for the impeccable leadership he displayed during the time he served.

News Archive

More than 800 students graduate at the UFS
2010-09-14

The University of the Free State (UFS) will confer 881 degrees and diplomas during its Spring graduation and diploma ceremonies that will be held in the Callie Human Centre on the Main Campus.

The various graduation ceremonies will take place on Wednesday, 15 and Thursday, 16 September 2010.

The UFS will award 566 degrees, 41 doctorates and 274 diplomas. Two honorary doctorates will also be conferred on Prof. Kalie Strydom and Dr Monty Jones.

For more than two decades Prof. Strydom has been associated with excellence in educational research, especially in the field of higher education. Dr Jones is the Executive Director of FARA (Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa). He is a Sierra Leonean and has spent the last 32 years of his career in Africa working in international agricultural research for development institutions.

The full programme is as follows:

  • Wednesday, 15 September 2010:

    -At 14:30 266 students from the Faculties of the Humanities, Health Sciences, Education, Law and Theology will receive their degrees and 20 doctorates will be conferred. On the same day Prof. Strydom will receive an honorary doctorate and Mrs Alida Maria Dippenaar a Chancellor’s Medal. She was during her career one of the pioneer senior female managers and a member of the Executive Management and the Senate at the UFS.
  • Thursday, 16 September 2010:

    - 08:30: 300 degrees and 21 doctorates will be awarded in the Faculties of Economic and Management Sciences and Natural and Agricultural Sciences. Dr Jones will also receive an honorary doctorate on the same day.

- 14:30: 274 diplomas will be conferred on students from all faculties.

Media Release
Issued by: Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt@ufs.ac.za  
14 September 2010

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