Professors Thuli Madonsela and Tshilidzi Marwala Land International Roles, Mzansi Says Congratulations

• Vice Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg Professor Tshilidzi Marwala has accepted the rector position at the United Nations University
• The UN university is based in Tokyo, Japan and Professor Marwala will assume the prominent role in the next eight months
• Former Public Protector Professor Thuli Madonsela has also been elected as the chairperson of the management board of the Cities Alliance

JOHANNESBURG - One of South Africa’s brilliant minds will move to Japan to take on the position of the United Nations University rector. Vice Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg Professor Tshilidzi Marwala will be the first African to take on the role at the Tokyo-based university.

The chair of the UJ council Mike Teke congratulated Prof Marwala on the outstanding achievement. According to SABC News, he will be the seventh rector at the UN institution. The professor will assume the role in the next eight months while the university searches for his replacement.

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The Tokyo-based university praised Marwala for being an accomplished academic and said he has an extensive track record in human capacity development. The UNU added that Marwala is committed to leveraging technology and global connectedness towards the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Professor Marwala is a PhD holder in Artificial Intelligence and Engineering from the University of Cambridge.

Meanwhile, former Public Protector Prof Thuli Madonsela has been elected as the chairperson of the management board of the Cities Alliance. The law chair at Stellenbosch University will assist the urban poverty and support cities to deliver sustainable development in partnership with the UN, TimesLIVE reported.

South Africans congratulate the professors for their accomplishments:

@bekzinb said:

“He gets along very well with the Japanese and the Chinese so it’s a big move for him, otherwise before he took over at UJ, the university was impacted by motion of draft. Which was beneficial to the staff and students but not anymore.”

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@CFSJ_MPlan shared:

"A significant honour was bestowed on the Law Trust Chair in Social Justice at Stellenbosch University, Professor Thuli Madonsela, when she was elected as the Chairperson of the Management Board of the Cities Alliance during the Assembly meeting this month."

@RaeRalp wrote:

“Go boy!”

@MisroleLouw posted

“Fantastic- congratulations Professor Tshilidzi Marwala. I am so proud that one of our own was visionary and studied for the future. Professor Marwala has a PhD in Artificial Intelligence and Engineering from the University of Cambridge.”

@Mashobane61 added:

“Congratulations to Prof Marwala. Best wishes in his new posting.”

Cute video of UJ vice-chancellor skipping rope, SA offers moral support: #GoProf

In a related matter, Briefly News also reported a video of UJ Vice-Chancellor Tshilidzi Marwala jumping rope has the internet buzzing. It seems the prominent academic is not just a book worm and sometimes enjoys an outdoor activity or two.

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Heading online, the Prof shared a video that soon got many of his proud students and the rest of Mzansi talking.

Source: Briefly News