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Mr David Noko appointed as Chairperson of the UFS Council

17 September 2021 | Story Lacea Loader | Photo Supplied

Mr David Noko copy — 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

“Deploy your education and not connections,” Chancellor tells graduates

2012-05-16

Qwaqwa Autumn Graduation
Photo: Thabo Kessah
16 May 2012

Our Qwaqwa Campus conferred 424 degrees, diplomas and certificates at this year’s autumn graduation ceremony held on 12 May 2012.

Amongst the degrees conferred were two doctorates in Polymer Science, two Master’s of Arts in Geography and African Languages, respectively, five Master’s of Science degrees in Physics (3) and Polymer Science (2) and 37 honours degrees in Education, Zoology, Physics, Botany and Polymer Science.

In their congratulatory messages, both the Vice-Rector: Institutional Affairs, Prof. Teuns Verschoor, and the Chancellor, Dr Khotso Mokhele, challenged the graduates to start focusing their attention beyond their graduation on what they both referred to as “the real world”.

“Graduation ceremonies are a fantastic event, but you must never lose sight of appreciating the support given by those around you,” said Dr Mokhele.

“This hall was full of shouting and yes, you must bask in that glory, knowing that you have achieved part of your goals. Yes, this is your moment, so shine. You deserve it. You have earned it.”

“However, this noise also means you must go out there and face the real world. You are graduating in a model country on how people can reconcile, despite their painful and divided past. You deserve all the accolades, but that model country is disappearing before your eyes. How can you mess up what Mandela, Biko, Sobukwe, Nardine Gordimer lived and fought for? How can you mess up such a good thing?” Dr Mokhele asked of an attentive audience that included proud parents and siblings, as well as educators and learners from the Thabo Mofutsanyana District.

“Go out there and deploy your education and not your connections, as these are embedded in corruption. Go out there and help get rid of the patronage system where hard-workers are more likely to be constructively dismissed as they stand in the way of those with corrupt tendencies. Save this country from becoming another Zimbabwe. Let us do whatever it takes to save this country. Let these matriculants who are here today want to walk that red carpet with pride in the next few years,”,said Dr Mokhele.

Dignitaries in attendance included the former Chief Minister of the former Qwaqwa homeland, Dr T K Mopeli; the Executive Mayor of the Dihlabeng Local Municipality, Councillor Tjhetane Mofokeng; Dr SWF Moloi (Thabo Mofutsanyana Education District) and representatives from various government departments.

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