Today in history: Thabo Mbeki receives an Honorary Doctorate
- Today marks the day 21 years ago that former president, Thabo Mbeki received his Honorary Doctorate
- The historic event took place three months after Thabo Mbeki became SA's second elected black president
- Thabo Mbeki received the doctorate from The Rand Afrikaans University
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Twenty-one years ago today former South African president, Thabo Mbeki received his Honorary Doctorate from The Rand Afrikaans University only three months after he was inaugurated as the country's president.
"I am confident that this University, which I join today as an honorary member, will play its role to help to transform our country into a winning nation," said Mbeki after receiving the doctorate from Chancellor Paul Kruger.
Mbeki was inaugurated as South Africa's president in June 1999 following Nelson Mandela's end of term. He was the second black man to take on the role, a historic feat on its own. He served as the president for nearly two terms, resigning nine months before the second term came to pass.
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During Mbeki's ruling of the nation, the country saw a lucrative increase in the economy during which black citizens benefited greatly after his implementation of BEE (Black Economic Empowerment).
Mbeki also played an important role as a mediator for peace agreements between many African countries. In 2017 he became a recipient of an Honorary Degree from Kenya’s Dedan Kimathi University for his role in the liberation of South Africa as well the African Renaissance.
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In other Briefly.co.za news, President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that South Africa will be moving to alert Level 1 of the Covid-19 lockdown. Ramaphosa described this stage as the 'new normal' for as long as the nation is faced with the virus.
This stage will come into effect on Sunday at midnight. Ramaphosa explained that levels of infections are relatively low and that the health care system is able to cope with demand. The restrictions on gatherings have been relaxed with a new limit, 50% of a venue's capacity, imposed.
However, a limit of 250 people for indoors and 500 for outdoors has been set. The maximum amount of people permitted at a funeral is now 100 with night vigils still banned, these are a few of the changes made to lockdown restrictions among others.
President Ramaphosa said that the government is hard at work on an economic recovery plan as the impact of the lockdown continues to weigh heavily on the nation.
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Source: Briefly News
