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Honourable Judge President and Chancellor of Unisa, Bernard Ngoepe, & Unisa's Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Prof N Barney Pityana.
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Es’kia Mphahlele Registration Hall officially opened
Meeting the needs of the students and supporting them before and after registration is the reason why the Es’kia Mphahlele Registration Hall was conceived. In his welcome address at the official opening of the registration hall on 22 September 2009, Unisa's Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Prof N Barney Pityana, described the hall as a building that Unisa is very proud of, and one that will cater immensely for current and prospective students.
As the official opening got underway, esteemed guests, which included the Honourable Judge President and Chancellor of Unisa, Bernard Ngoepe; His Majesty King KK Sekhukhune and Her Majesty Queen Ngwanamohube Mphahlele of the Bapedi Tribe; members of the late Prof Es’kia Mphahlele’s family and Unisa staff were treated to a soulful evening of entertainment by South African icon, Sibongile Khumalo, and praise poetry by Lesufi and Dithalabodiba.
Prof Pityana indicated that his predecessors began the redevelopment of the Unisa campus on the Northern side of Walker Street and now work is beginning on the Southern Side. "Unisa needed to respond effectively to the changes around us and we needed to think differently on how to meet the needs of our students; hence, the concept of this building came into being."
The registration hall, which is named after the late Prof Es’kia Mphahlele, a South African writer, academic, arts activist and African humanist, boasts a huge registration centre with 288 self-help registration points to ensure smoother registration processes. It also has, among other services, career advisors from the various colleges, advisory services by student advisors, panel workers and supervisors for first-year students, a student study hall that houses 500 students and a computer lab.
Prof Pityana said it is important to recognise that Unisa has grown. In the beginning, registration would involve about 50 000 students; it now involves about 300 000 students. He thanked the architect for her creativity in bringing Unisa’s needs into being. "We are very proud today and thank the Unisa Council for providing and supporting the vision of Unisa."
Prof Pityana also thanked the family of Prof Mphahlele for allowing Unisa to honour the world-renowned academic, literary giant and one of Unisa’s illustrious alumni. "This generation and those to come will always remember Prof Mphahlele as an inspiration." Robert Mphahlele, who spoke on behalf of his family, requested a moment of silence before he thanked Unisa for helping to preserve Prof Mphahlele’s name and legacy.
The unveiling of the plaque was conducted by the Honourable Judge President and Chancellor of Unisa, Bernard Ngoepe, and Unisa's Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Prof N Barney Pityana. |
