The Dr. Sam Motsuenyane Fourth Annual Lecture hosted by the University of Pretoria.
The University of Pretoria hosted the Dr. Sam Motsuenyane Fourth Annual Lecture at the Aula building within the Hatfield campus on the 12th of November 2021. The Village Mag attended the occasion which was graced by celebrities and industry leaders from all walks of life; the likes of the head of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU), Mr Andy Mothibi was also in attendance.
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The founding president of National African Federated Chamber of Commerce (NAFCOC) and a founding member of African Bank, Dr. Sam Motsuenyane who was once an ambassador to the five gulf states during the presidency term of the first democratically elected president of South Africa; the late Dr. Nelson Mandela. During his 24 year long term as the president of NAFCOC, many founded African Bank, Black Chain Ltd and Masikela-Mavimbela Scholarship Fund amongst other accolades. Despite severe political and socio-economical obstacles at the heightened time of Apartheid South Africa, Dr. Sam Motsuenyane was also the National Secretary of the African Soil Conservation Association.
In its four year running, the Dr. Sam Motsuenyane Lecture has become not only a lecture but it is has become a beacon of hope for many especially small businesses who are said to be the driving engine behind the South African economy. The first annual lecture was hosted in 2018 by the Tshwane University of Technology with the guest speaker being the former Reserve Bank Governor Tito Mboweni, in 2019 Unisa played host to the second annual lecture with the former Minister Senzeni Kokwana being the keynote speaker.
The past two years the University of Pretoria (UP) hosted this auspicious occasion. The programme director for this year was the veteran journalist and media personality Tim Modise, with the key note speaker being Dr. Reuel Khoza who is the current Chairman of the Public Investment Corporation (PIC). Amongst other portfolios and accomplishments to his name, he is also the President of the Institute of Directors in South Africa (IoDSA), moreover he has chaired boards of large private and public corporations such ESKOM Holdings, Nedbank Group, GlaxoSmithKline South Africa just to name a few.
A Non-Government Organization (NGO), the Dr. Sam Motsuenyane Rural Development Foundation focuses mainly on rural development in rural villages within South Africa. ”The Foundation was created and designed to address the needs and challenges which presently impede the development of township and rural communities in South Africa, more especially in the agricultural sector” reads the Foundation’s website. The foundation together with Dr. Sam Motsuenyane also managed to successfully take five students to India to learn more about peanut – processing, upon return from this excursion these students started a cooperative called Bontle le Temo. The corporative was then changed to a private company run by a young woman called Thato Mabonela who was part of the five student delegation to India.
Speaking on the sidelines of the lecture with The Village Mag, the Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Mr. Themba Mathibe said amongst other plans, they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Tshwane South TVET College to expand on the college’s offering and open up a new focused on agriculture. This strategy also includes the acquisition of the facilities which currently lie fallow at the former Marapyane College of Agriculture. Processes are currently underway to make this plans fruition as soon as possible.
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The fourth annual lecture panel included amongst others UP’s Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Tawana Kupe, the CEO of the African Bank; Kennedy G. Bungane and Paul Ntshabele the Foundation’s Board Chairperson. When speaking about the current political and socioeconomic challenges our country faces itself, Dr. Reuel Khoza emphasized that amongst other important aspects that we need to re-look as a country, is the issue of how we choose/vote for our leaders. He said “the necessary condition for South Africa’s survival is a leadership with a compelling sense of destiny, a clear national vision anchored on a wholesome value system. Central to this; is integrity and ethical conduct”.
Click on the link below to watch the lecture which took place on the 12th of November 2021:
