NEW GENERATION OF CHANGE MAKERS TAKE OATH AT UWC ON MANDELA DAY

By Nonhlakanipho Masola.

• A fitting ceremony was held at the University of the Western Cape on Nelson Mandela International Day on Friday, 18 July 2025.
• ⁠Students pursuing a Bachelor of Community Development took an oath to serve with integrity, dignity, and commitment to improve the lives of the people of South Africa.
• Deputy Minister of Social Development Ganief Hendricks made the keynote speech at the event.

In the true spirit of Nelson Mandela International Day, the Deputy Minister of Social Development, Ganief Hendricks, visited the University of the Western Cape on 18 July 2025 to honour an invitation from the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences.

The event, which marked part of the Deputy Minister’s 67 minutes of service, was centred on an oath-taking ceremony for students pursuing a Bachelor of Community Development.

These future community development practitioners took a heartfelt oath to serve with integrity, dignity, and a deep commitment to improving the lives of the people of South Africa.

The significance of the moment was heightened by the symbolic weight of Mandela Day, a day dedicated to making a difference in the lives of others.

Head of the Department, Professor Glynnis Dykes, emphasised the importance of this day, describing the occasion as both meaningful and symbolic.

“On Mandela Day, a moment like this is not just ceremonial, it carries sentimental value. It reminds us of the legacy we are all called to uphold.”

Adding to the inspiration of the day, University of the Western Cape graduate Ntando Ndlebe, who graduated in 2023, returned to share words of encouragement.

“You are the future change-makers,” she said.

“Let your work be guided by values of respect, fairness, and integrity. Always listen and never stop learning.”

Deputy Minister Hendriks delivered a thought-provoking keynote speech that left the room reflecting deeply.

He challenged the students with a powerful question: “If you had a limited budget to address substance abuse in communities, would you invest in prevention or treatment?”

This question, he said, is one they may one day face, and how they answer will determine the kind of impact they make.

He went on to say that the Department of Social Development is counting on graduates like these to help South African communities address deeply rooted social issues, including poverty, transactional sex, and substance abuse, all of which often lead to crime, violence, and gangsterism.

As the event closed, the message was clear: these young students are not just future professionals. They are the heartbeat of hope, Mandela’s dream in motion, ready to serve, uplift, and lead with compassion.