Public Protector presents prestige lecture at NWU

The Public Protector, advocate Thulisile Madonsela, presented a prestige lecture at the North-West University Mafikeng Campus. The lecture, titled "Challenges faced by institutions of Higher Education: Student Demands/Expectations vs Government responses" was presented on 19 September 2016 in the Great Hall on the Campus.

The lecture was preceded by a dialogue with students followed by another dialogue with staff members. During her engagements Madonsela indicated there is a need to invest in the potential of young leaders, not as leaders of tomorrow, but as leaders of today.

"It is important to acknowledge the young intelligentsia as the leaders of today and not of tomorrow. It is you who must, like Orwell and Sankara, analyse the problems of today and provide solutions as to how we as a country can overcome them", Madonsela remarked, followed by an enthusiastic applause from students in attendance.

She concluded by saying that at the core of freedom is social justice which is a call for the redistribution of not only wealth as a monetary commodity but also redistribution of opportunities, and privileges within a society.

Madonsela is the first woman to occupy the position of National Public Protector after having been appointed by the President on 15 October 2009 following a unanimous vote by all parties in Parliament. Her term is set to end on 15 October of this year.