UWC GREATS A CELEBRATION of EXCELLENCE and DISTINCTION
2025 | 2026
UNIVERSITY of the W E S T E R N C A P E IYUNIVESITHI yaseNTSHONA KOLONI UNIVERSITEIT van WES-KAAPLAND
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A CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE AND DISTINCTION
A CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE AND DISTINCTION
The University College of the Western Cape, as it was known, opened its doors in February 1960. A decade later, the institution gained independent university status and was allowed to award its own degrees and diplomas. On 9 February 1990, UWC’s first logo was registered with the Bureau of Heraldry – elements of which are evident in the current UWC crest.
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An aerial view of the University of the Western Cape in the 1980s.
WHERE IT ALL BEGAN…
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MESSAGE FROM THE CHANCELLOR
04
MESSAGE FROM THE RECTOR
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MEMORABLE MILESTONES
06
HONOURING THE COURAGE TO TRANSFORM
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HONORIS CAUSA RECIPIENTS 1983 – 2026
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HONORARY DOCTORATE
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TABLE of CONTENTS
– ADV ADILA HASSIM
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– MANDISA MONAKALI
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– CHARLOTTE MANNYA MAXEKE
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– MARY THERESE WINIFRED ROBINSON
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– DR GRACE NALEDI MANDISA PANDOR
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– FRANCESCA PAOLA ALBANESE
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– PROF LOYISO G. NONGXA
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GOLD MEDAL
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HISTORICAL OCCASION
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HONORARY DOCTORATE RECIPIENTS 2025 – 2026
MESSAGE from THE CHANCELLOR ARCHBISHOP THABO MAKGOBA As Chancellor of the University of the Western Cape, I am
the conferral of the university’s highest honours and, once
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individuals has made important contributions to the
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pleased to introduce this edition of UWC Greats. It records
again, celebrates individuals whose contributions speak to the values of UWC. At the 2026 ceremony, the university will confer honorary doctorates on seven remarkable individuals, namely, Adila Hassim, Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor, Mary Therese Winifred Robinson, Charlotte Mannya Maxeke (posthumous), Mandisa Monakali (posthumous), Loyiso Nongxa, and Francesca Paola Albanese.
Through public service and scholarship, each of these
advancement of knowledge and/or to the defence of human dignity. Several have worked to uphold the rights of people whose freedoms remain contested, at home and abroad. Their work shows UWC’s long-standing belief that scholarship should engage society and support social justice. The people we honour show that knowledge entails responsibilities that extend beyond the academy. Intellectual achievement matters most when it contributes to the public good. On behalf of the university community, I offer them our sincere appreciation and warmest congratulations.
Rhoda Kadalie, Arthur Chaskalson, Abdullah Ibrahim and many others. Their names form part of the university’s memory, but also of a much larger South African story: of scholarship and struggle, imagination and courage, leadership and service. Our 2025 and 2026 honorands
have not spoken in the same register or travelled the same road. Yet, their contributions have crossed the boundaries of profession and institution. They remind us that knowledge acquires its fullest meaning when it engages the world beyond the university – when an idea becomes an intervention, scholarship becomes public service, or a life of conviction creates possibilities for others.
This has long been part of UWC’s character. Our history has taught us that a university must be a place where knowledge is questioned and
MESSAGE from THE RECTOR
PROFESSOR ROBERT JOHN BALFOUR
shared, where difficult ideas can find expression and where scholarship can contribute to the making of a more just and imaginative society. To honour these individuals is, therefore, an honour in itself and an act of continuity. We recognise lives already distinguished by their contributions, while welcoming their names into the university’s
There is a particular pleasure in welcoming people into a fellowship
continuing story.
whose company already tells a profound story. May this edition of UWC Greats allow us to pause over these For more than four decades, the University of the Western Cape
remarkable lives – to celebrate what they have accomplished, to
has conferred honorary doctorates on individuals whose lives have
reflect on what their work has made possible, and to consider what
enriched our country and our world. Among them are Nelson Mandela,
we, in turn, might make possible for those who come next.
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What makes this company so compelling is its diversity. Its members
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now join this remarkable fellowship.
MEMORABLE MILESTONES
1994
New Rector and Vice-Chancellor Prof Jakes Gerwel declares UWC the ‘university of the left’. The university deracialises and opens its doors to African students.
UWC’s leadership helps to write the higher education policy for the incoming government. The South African interim and final constitutions are also drafted at UWC.
UWC inaugurates its longest-serving Chancellor, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who would serve for 24 years.
1960
1975
The University College of the Western Cape opens its doors.
Prof Richard van der Ross is appointed as UWC’s first black Rector.
1995 UWC launches its first website – joining the internet age before other universities in the Mother City.
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2002
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UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE
1987
UWC becomes the first university to award Nelson Mandela an honorary doctorate upon his release from prison.
Under the leadership of Rector and ViceChancellor Prof Brian O’Connell, UWC successfully resists being merged. Instead, its Dentistry Faculty is merged with that of the University of Stellenbosch, meaning UWC is the only Western Cape university with a dentistry faculty.
1994
2003
Many academics from UWC join President Mandela’s government and are appointed to ministerial and advisory positions. They include the Rector, Prof Gerwel, who becomes the director-general in the Presidency.
UWC acquires the first protein X-ray crystallography facility in South Africa (thanks to funding from the Carnegie Foundation), a major boost to research capacity development in biotechnology.
1990 1978 1970 The institution gains independent university status and is allowed to award its own degrees and diplomas as the University of the Western Cape.
UWC’s Cape Flats Nature Reserve is declared a National Monument (now known as a provincial heritage site).
2014
2017
2024
The Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship is introduced to UWC, promoting an international postgraduate education experience. The first cohort of Fellows is accepted in 2009.
For the first time, UWC awards more than 100 PhDs and 4,000 degrees in one year.
A group of UWC students led by Prof Nico Orce conducts the second major African-led experiment at the CERN laboratory in Switzerland.
UWC is recognised as a top-tier university by the Department of Higher Education and Training.
2018
The first year of the full implementation of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Programme, which provides full bursaries to 250 undergraduate and 250 master’s students as part of a seven-year agreement.
10 SARChI (South African Research Chairs Initiative) chairs are awarded to UWC, the highest number awarded to any university in SA that year. (Today, UWC hosts 19 SARChI chairs).
UWC graduates its first master’s students as a hub of the National Nanoscience Postgraduate Teaching & Training Programme.
The Faculty of Dentistry launches a new state-of-the-art videoconferencing system that will allow students to watch live surgeries in class or at home, a first for South Africa.
2025 Prof Robert John Balfour is inaugurated as the eighth Rector and Vice-Chancellor.
2019 UWC Rugby makes its debut in the Varsity Cup. The team becomes the first historically disadvantaged institution to qualify for the premier university rugby competition.
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2012 Archbishop Thabo Makgoba is inaugurated as Chancellor of UWC.
2016
2026
UWC is declared Africa’s greenest campus in the inaugural African Green Campus Initiative Challenge.
UWC’s Centre for Humanities Research is awarded the Flagship on Critical Thought in African Humanities accolade by the National Research Foundation.
UWC analytical chemistry scientist Prof Priscilla Baker received the Order of Mapungubwe in Bronze for her contribution to scientific research.
2013 UWC signs the Berlin Declaration on Open Access in the Sciences and Humanities.
UWC is ranked number 1 in Physical Science in South Africa and Africa in the 2016 ‘Nature’ Index.
2020 UWC celebrates its 60th anniversary.
2022 UWC Main Hall is renamed Jakes Gerwel Hall.
UWC secured eighth place in South Africa, 26th place in Africa and 657th globally in the U.S. News & World Report Best Global Universities Rankings.
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2010
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2008
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Under Professor Jakes Gerwel, who became Rector in 1987, that
difficult questions they pose, and, importantly, by the injustices they
transformation acquired a distinctive intellectual and political character.
are willing to confront to reimagine a better world for all. This has
UWC declared itself “an intellectual home for the left”, creating space
been the proud ethos embodied by the University of the Western
for curriculum renewal, pioneering research and engagement with
Cape (UWC) since its inception in 1960.
the social and policy questions of the day. It also formalised an open admissions policy, widening access to students from communities
Conjured in the darkness of apartheid, UWC was reserved for people classified as “Coloured”, granted a limited educational purpose under the regime of the time. It was built to fail; therefore, the institution’s transformation into a bastion of change through education is an anomaly – an annoyance to its architects.
Students and staff relentlessly opposed the apartheid regime – not only through protest, which unleashed the wrath of the security police, but through careful, unified opposition grounded in knowledge and steeped in strategic intent.
By 1982, the university had formally rejected the apartheid ideology on which it had been established, declaring its commitment to nonracialism and to the development of disadvantaged communities. A year later, it gained autonomy under the University of the Western Cape Act.
previously excluded from meaningful opportunities in higher education.
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Universities are shaped by the knowledge they produce, by the
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HONOURING the COURAGE to TRANSFORM
Albanese has brought international law and human-rights advocacy to some of the world’s most contested questions. Hassim has used the law as an instrument for advancing constitutional rights and social justice. Maxeke’s life embodied the liberating power of education and the struggle against racial and gender exclusion. Monakali carried that
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struggle into communities, working to protect women and children from violence. Nongxa’s career in mathematics and higher education reflects intellectual excellence and the breaking of racial barriers in academia. Pandor has connected education, scholarship and public It was within this history that, on 28 November 1990, UWC became
service with the development of a democratic South Africa. Robinson’s
the first South African university to confer an honorary doctorate on
career has placed human rights, equality and human dignity at the
President Nelson Mandela following his release from prison. President
centre of public leadership.
Mandela recognised the significance of what had happened at UWC, describing the university as an institution that had “thrown off the
Their lives, therefore, speak directly to UWC’s enduring identity.
shackles of its apartheid origins” and sought to serve the majority of
The university’s history is one of transforming exclusion into access,
its people.
resistance into scholarship, and knowledge into action. Its honorary
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doctorate tradition similarly recognises people whose distinguished That moment offers a striking historical symmetry for the honorary
service and intellectual contributions align with UWC’s values.
doctorates being conferred today. Our motto, Respice Prospice — “Look back, look forward” — is a Francesca Albanese, Adila Hassim, Charlotte Mannya Maxeke, Mandisa
reminder of the moments when a university’s past and present meet
Monakali, Loyiso Nongxa, Grace Naledi Pandor and Mary Robinson
with remarkable clarity. For the University of the Western Cape, the
come from different generations, disciplines and walks of life.
conferral of these honorary doctorates offers such a moment: an
However, their work reflects a common conviction: that knowledge,
opportunity to look back at the institution’s extraordinary journey and
leadership and courage can be placed in the service of human dignity,
forward to the kind of society that knowledge, courage and ethical
equality and social transformation.
leadership can help create.
Honoris Causa RECIPIENTS 1983 – 2026 1991
1993
S. Motsuenyane Doctor Commercii
J.C. de Villiers Doctor Scientiae
R. Alexander Doctor Commercii
G. Boonzaier Doctor Litterarum
M.C. O’Dowd Doctor Commercii
G. Mbeki Doctor Philosophiae
1984
1990
B. Head Doctor Litterarum (posthumous)
E. Theron Doctor Legum
G.J. Gerwel Doctor Legum UWC lecturer and department head who became Rector in 1987.
1987 B. Breytenbach Doctor Litterarum
R. van der Ross Doctor Educationis Author, educationist, social activist and the first black rector of UWC.
1995
N.R. Mandela Doctor Legum Rivonia trialist, political prisoner, ANC President and President of the first democratically elected government of South Africa. One of four South Africans to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. O.R. Tambo Doctor Legum
Image credits: Government Communication and Information System, Nickay Photography, UWC Archive
G. Machel Doctor Legum First Mozambican Minister of Education and Culture, member of the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group and The Elders, and an international advocate for human rights.
P. Sonn Doctor Legum
D. Mitterrand Doctor Litterarum
A. Ibrahim Doctor Litterarum Famous as Dollar Brand before his conversion to Islam, he is an awardwinning, innovative jazz pianist, composer and international recording artist.
D. Zihlangu Doctor Educationis
E. Mancoba Doctor Litterarum
1996 G.H. Brundtland Doctor Legum T.N. Chapman Doctor Commercii J.J.F. Durand Doctor Philosophiae P. Gorvalla Doctor Commercii
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1989
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1983
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1997
2001
2002
2004
2004
B. Davidson Doctor Litterarum
V. Faigle Doctor Theologiae
D. Philip Doctor Litterarum
K. Asmal Doctor Legum
A. Sachs Doctor Litterarum
E.L. King Doctor Theologiae
G. ‘t Hooft Doctor Scientiae
M. Philip Doctor Litterarum
E. de Keyser Doctor Commercii (posthumous)
I. Mohamed Doctor Scientiae
G. Fitzgerald Doctor Litterarum
B. Naudé Doctor Theologiae J.N. Scholten Doctor Legum
1998
P.N. Langa Doctor Legum Served as Constitutional Court justice (19942001), Deputy Chief Justice (2001-2005) and Chief Justice of South Africa (2005-2009).
J. Derrida Doctor Litterarum
A. Small Doctor Litterarum
M. Nuttall Doctor Theologiae
W.H. Gray Doctor Philosophiae
M.A. Oduyoye Doctor Theologiae
C. Hirschsohn Doctor Philosophiae
J. Reddy Doctor Educationis
T. Manuel Doctor Commercii
1997 R. Turner Doctor Educationis (posthumous)
D.M. Tutu Doctor Legum General secretary of the SA Council of Churches, Bishop of Johannesburg and Archbishop of Cape Town. Nobel Peace Prize recipient in 1984. He was Chancellor of UWC from 1987 to 2011.
2003 K. Mokhele Doctor Scientiae T.D. Fredericks Doctor Educationis P-D. Uys Doctor Educationis
Image credits: Government Communication and Information System, Nickay Photography, UWC Archive
A. Omar Doctor Legum (posthumous) An advocate who defended many antiapartheid activists, he was the leader of the Unity Movement before becoming a patron of the United Democratic Front. He served as democratic South Africa’s first Minister of Justice and as Minister of Transport.
A. Sisulu Doctor Curationis Founding member of the ANC Women’s League and the Federation of South African Women. She was the co-president of the United Democratic Front, a Pietermaritzburg treason trialist in 1985 and later a member of Parliament. W. Sisulu Doctor Legum (posthumous)
2005 A. Achmat Doctor Philosophiae C. Bundy Doctor Philosophiae
2005
2007
2007
2009
2011
A. Jones Doctor Philosophiae
I. Mahomed Doctor Legum (posthumous)
P. Govender Doctor Legum
2006
2007
A. Chaskalson Doctor Legum A member of the defence team at the Rivonia treason trial, he was President of the Constitutional Court of South Africa from 1994 to 2001 and Chief Justice of South Africa from 2001 to 2005.
E. Abrahams Doctor Philosophiae
D. Jordaan Doctor Philosophiae
E. Braune Doctor Philosophiae
R. Kadalie Doctor Litterarum
F.N. Ginwala Doctor Administrationis
Image credits: Government Communication and Information System, Nickay Photography, UWC Archive
P. Mlambo-Ngcuka Doctor Philosophiae Deputy minister in the Department of Trade and Industry (1996-1999), Minister of Minerals and Energy (1999-June 2005), Deputy President of South Africa (20052008), and Executive Director of UN Women (2013-2021).
2010
P. Olufemi-Kayode Doctor Philosophiae
S.B. Biko Doctor Philosophiae (posthumous) An anti-apartheid student activist and leader of the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa during the late 1960s and 1970s. He was murdered by apartheid police in 1977.
R. Simonsen Doctor Philosophiae
S. Isaacs Doctor Educationis
2008
P.K. Tergat Doctor Philosophiae
P. Magrath Doctor Litterarum
W. Morrow Doctor Educationis
D. Tulu Doctor Philosophiae
M. Shear Doctor Philosophiae
Y. Mokgoro Doctor Legum V. Shubin Doctor Philosophiae
A. Adebajo Doctor Philosophiae M.S. Dien Doctor Philosophiae (posthumous) B. Fanaroff Doctor Philosophiae
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J.J. Fagan Doctor Legum
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E.K.M. Dido Doctor Litterarum
2012
2013
2016
A. Jones Doctor Philosophiae
2022
2025
K. Kwaa Prah Doctor Philosophiae
A. Hassim Doctor Philosophiae
J. Matthews Doctor Philosophiae
M. Monakali Doctor Philosophiae (posthumous)
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G. Gutiérrez Merino Doctor Theologiae
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M. Temmerman Doctor Philosophiae R.P. Wolff Doctor Philosophiae
F. Robertson Doctor Philosophiae Co-founder of Brimstone Investment Corp and Chair of the UWC Foundation.
B. Gawanas Doctor Legum
M. Tsedu Doctor Philosophiae
E. Moosa Doctor Legum R. Reddock Doctor Philosophiae
2012 H.D. Shaper Doctor Philosophiae (posthumous) A. Sheiham Doctor Philosophiae
2013 H. Howa Doctor Philosophiae (posthumous)
2014
A. Haron Doctor Philosophiae (posthumous) The Imam of the Al-Jamia Mosque in Claremont, Cape Town. He established the openly anti-apartheid community newspaper, Muslim News.
2017 A.M. Lapsley Doctor Philosophiae
2018 Z. Skweyiya Doctor Philosophiae (posthumous)
2015
2021
A. Jedaar Doctor Philosophiae
Z. Wicomb Doctor Philosophiae
2016 H. Adams Doctor Philosophiae
Image credits: Government Communication and Information System, Nickay Photography, UWC Archive
A. Boesak Doctor Philosophiae W. Kentridge Doctor Philosophiae
I. Sooliman Doctor Philosophiae Founder of Gift of the Givers, one of the most respected international humanitarian agencies.
C.M. Maxeke Doctor Philosophiae (posthumous) M.T.W. Robinson Doctor Philosophiae
2023 C. Hani Doctor Philosophiae (posthumous) D.E. Moseneke Doctor Philosophiae S.Z. Zotwana Doctor Philosophiae
2024
G.N.M. Pandor Doctor Philosophiae
2026
M.Y. Choi Doctor Philosophiae H. Kummeling Doctor Philosophiae C. Pauwels Doctor Philosophiae (posthumous)
F.P. Albanese Doctor Philosophiae L. Nongxa Doctor Philosophiae
reflecting the core value of eminence in the field of scholarship in the
examination, by resolution of the Council passed on the recommendation
course of a career. To be considered for a conferral of an honorary
of the Senate, confer an honorary degree of doctor in any faculty upon
degree, the nominee should reflect the following criteria:
any person who has rendered distinguished services in the advancement of any branch of learning, or who the Council may deem worthy of such, provided that such a person exemplifies the values and purposes of the university”.
• outstanding intellectual contributions in the course of a career, in some fields of scholarship; • a substantial contribution with national and international impact; • excellent or distinguished service in wider society;
The decision to confer an honorary degree of doctorate in either the Council or the Senate requires that two-thirds of the members present (in person or electronically) at the meeting vote in favour of the proposal.
• application of the values espoused by the university, thereby contributing towards the transformation of society; and, • outstanding contribution as a public intellectual.
The focus for awarding an honorary doctorate is to ensure alignment with the core values of the university, as well as teaching and learning
The award of an honorary degree does not entitle a person to practise
scholarship. Recognition of intellectual contribution is paramount,
any profession or use the title of Doctor.
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According to the UWC Statute (2018), “the university may without
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HONORARY DOCTORATE
Honorary Doctorate RECIPIENT 2025 ADVOCATE ADILA HASSIM DOCTOR PHILOSOPHIAE
human rights activist whose career spans more than two decades.
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its Director of Litigation. In 2017, she represented SECTION27 and
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Adv Adila Hassim SC is a distinguished public-interest advocate and
She has dedicated her work to advancing constitutional rights, access to healthcare and social justice.
She obtained her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws from the University of Natal, followed by a Master of Laws from Saint Louis University School of Law in 1999. She earned a Doctor of the Science of Law in 2006 from Notre Dame Law School. Hassim worked at the AIDS Law Project and was admitted as an advocate of the High Court of South Africa in 2003. She co-founded SECTION27 and served as
families of victims in the Life Esidimeni Arbitration.
In 2024, Hassim was part of South Africa’s legal team before the International Court of Justice in The Hague concerning alleged violations of the Genocide Convention by Israel.
She delivered South Africa’s substantive opening presentation. She currently serves as an evidence leader for the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry, which is investigating alleged corruption, criminality and political interference in South Africa’s criminal justice system.
Honorary Doctorate RECIPIENT 2025 MANDISA MONAKALI DOCTOR PHILOSOPHIAE
advancing the rights and dignity of women and children. She completed a diploma in Development Studies and a certificate in Adult Education from the University of Cape Town. She also obtained a Gender and Development certificate from The Hague in the Netherlands.
In 1989, she founded Ilitha Labantu in Gugulethu, a community-based organisation providing counselling, legal support, economic empowerment programmes and advocacy for survivors of gender-based violence.
Monakali’s influence extended beyond South Africa as she played an active role in international women’s movements, participating in the 1995 Beijing World Conference on Women and contributing to the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002. In 2005 and 2015, Monakali represented South Africa at the annual United Nations Conference on the Status of Women. She worked closely with the United Nations and civil society organisations to advance gender equality and sustainable development. Until her passing in November 2024, Monakali remained a fearless advocate for vulnerable communities. Her unwavering commitment to justice, equality and the empowerment of women and children earned her widespread recognition.
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and community development leader whose life was dedicated to
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Mandisa Monakali was a pioneering South African human rights activist
Honorary Doctorate RECIPIENT 2025 CHARLOTTE MANNYA MAXEKE DOCTOR PHILOSOPHIAE
activist and social reformer whose life transformed the struggle for the
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On her return to South Africa, Maxeke devoted her life to education,
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Charlotte Mannya Maxeke was a revolutionary educator, political
rights of Black South Africans, particularly women. Widely recognised as the first black South African woman to obtain a university degree, she laid the foundation for women’s political participation and social justice in South Africa. Maxeke received a missionary education before joining the African Jubilee Choir, which toured Europe and North America. Following the choir’s visit to the United States, she remained there to pursue higher education at Wilberforce University in Ohio, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1901.
community development and political activism. She helped establish the African Methodist Episcopal Church, became the first Black female probation officer in the country and worked to improve the welfare of African women and children. In 1918, she founded the Bantu Women’s League – the forerunner of today’s African National Congress Women’s League.
Remembered as the “Mother of Black Freedom in South Africa”, Maxeke’s extraordinary leadership and commitment to equality continue to inspire generations of South Africans.
Honorary Doctorate RECIPIENT 2025 MARY THERESE WINIFRED ROBINSON DOCTOR PHILOSOPHIAE
Dublin, Robinson obtained a first-class degree in Legal Science in 1967 and was called to the Irish Bar in 1968. She later became Reid Professor of Constitutional and Criminal Law at Trinity College Dublin. In 1968, she completed a Master of Laws at Harvard Law School. Her early legal and political career focused on advancing women’s rights and constitutional reform.
In 1990, Robinson made history as Ireland’s first woman President. During her presidency, she transformed the role into a platform for reconciliation and international engagement, championing the rights of marginalised communities. She served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights from 1997 to 2002, during which time she strengthened the global human rights agenda and promoted accountability in response to humanitarian crises. She subsequently founded Realizing Rights: The Ethical Globalization Initiative and established The Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice, advancing the principle that those least responsible for climate change should not bear its burdens. Today, Robinson remains a leading global voice on human rights, gender equality and climate justice.
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stateswoman and human rights advocate. A graduate of Trinity College
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Mary Therese Winifred Robinson is an internationally respected lawyer,
Honorary Doctorate RECIPIENT 2025 DR GRACE NALEDI MANDISA PANDOR DOCTOR PHILOSOPHIAE
accomplished educators, parliamentarians and diplomats. Pandor
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was elected to Parliament. She has served as Minister of Education,
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Dr Grace Naledi Mandisa Pandor is one of South Africa’s most
obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Botswana, followed by a Diploma in Education from the Institute of Education at the University of London. She later completed a Master of Arts in Linguistics at Stellenbosch University and a PhD from the University of Pretoria. Before entering politics, she worked as a teacher and university lecturer, reflecting her lifelong commitment to education and human development.
Following South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994, Pandor
Minister of Science and Technology, Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Higher Education and Training. Additionally, from 2019 to 2024, she served as South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, during which she became a respected voice on global governance, multilateral diplomacy and international law. Pandor received widespread international recognition for her leadership in advancing peace, human rights and accountability, including South Africa’s application before the International Court of Justice concerning the interpretation and application of the Genocide Convention.
Honorary Doctorate RECIPIENT 2026 FRANCESCA PAOLA ALBANESE DOCTOR PHILOSOPHIAE
forced displacement and the protection of the rights of refugees and occupied populations. Born in Ariano Irpino, Italy, Albanese obtained a full Italian law degree from the University of Pisa before completing a Master of Laws in Human Rights at SOAS University of London.
She began her career working with the United Nations, serving in various capacities with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, where she advised on international human rights, refugee protection and forced displacement across the Middle East, North Africa and Asia-Pacific.
In 2022, Albanese was appointed United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territories occupied since 1967, becoming the first woman to hold the mandate.
In this independent role, she has authored reports examining international humanitarian law, the rights of Palestinians under occupation, arbitrary detention, the impact of conflict on children, and state obligations under international law.
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and human rights expert whose work has focused on international law,
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Francesca Paola Albanese is an internationally recognised legal scholar
Honorary Doctorate RECIPIENT 2026 PROFESSOR LOYISO G. NONGXA DOCTOR PHILOSOPHIAE
distinguished mathematicians and higher education leaders, whose
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Lesotho, the University of Natal, the University of the Western Cape
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Professor Emeritus Loyiso G. Nongxa is one of South Africa’s most
career has been marked by academic excellence, institutional transformation and an enduring commitment to advancing science and mathematics education.
Nongxa obtained his Bachelor of Science (Honours) and Master of Science degrees in Mathematics from the University of Fort Hare. He was South Africa’s first Black Rhodes Scholar and earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Mathematics from the University of Oxford in 1982. He has held academic appointments at the National University of
and the University of the Witwatersrand, where he served as Professor of Mathematics and Dean of the Faculty of Science before assuming senior leadership roles.
In 2003, Nongxa became the first black Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Witwatersrand, serving for a decade and leading the institution through a period of significant academic growth and transformation. An internationally respected mathematician, he served as Vice-President of the International Mathematical Union and continues to contribute to the advancement of the mathematical sciences in Africa.
2018 – 2024
According to the UWC Statute (2018), the University may, by resolution of the Council passed on the recommendation of the Senate, award a UWC Gold Medal to any person who has rendered distinguished services in the advancement of any branch of learning or who the Council may deem worthy of such a medal, provided that such a person exemplifies the values and purposes of the University.
The decision to award a UWC Gold Medal by either the Council or the Senate requires that two-
2018 Ebrahim Rhoha
2021 AB Mahomed
thirds of the members present (in person or electronically) at the meeting vote in favour of the proposal. The focus in awarding a UWC Gold Medal is to ensure alignment with the core values of
Derek Joubert
the University and demonstrated service to the community. The Gold Medal is awarded to individuals
Peter Takelo
in the community who have made a significant and extraordinary contribution to the upliftment of
2022
the community through exceptional leadership, community involvement and related activities. In considering a nomination for the award of a Gold Medal, nominees are required to reflect:
Sean Patrick Lance Peter Wilson
• Meritorious or outstanding contributions to public life or of significant benefit to society; • Contributions that are innovative, exceptional, self-initiated and/or self-directed.
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka
2024 A UWC Gold Medal cannot be bestowed on persons currently holding public office, in the current employ of the University or involved in a body directly affiliated with the University.
Albie Sachs
A CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE AND DISTINCTION
Gold Medal RECIPIENTS
23 UWC GREATS 2025 | 2026
GOLD MEDAL
A CELEBRATION OF EXCELLENCE AND DISTINCTION UWC GREATS 2025 | 2026
24
A HISTORICAL OCCASION Those who were honoured for their contributions are indeed worthy of this recognition because they exemplify creativity, scholarship, selflessness and the courage of their convictions in making a difference in the society that they inhabit.
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