ALICE, February 8 (ANA) – The University of Fort Hare, in Alice in the Eastern Cape, celebrates its centenary on Monday.
While the official national celebration of the university will be only on May 20, Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande will represent government at the university’s actual centenary celebration ceremony on Monday.
The national and Southern African Development Community (SADC) celebration will take place on May 20 and President Jacob Zuma will officiate, the presidency said in a statement.
The historic university has produced illustrious alumni in the country and Southern Africa.
The alumni of the institution include African leaders, such as Professor ZK Matthews, former African National Congress president Oliver Tambo, former South African president Nelson Mandela, the late president Sir Seretse Khama of Botswana, President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, and the late prime minister Ntsu Mokhetle of Lesotho.
Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, among others, also studied at the university.
Zuma had established an Inter-ministerial planning committee headed by Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe, tasked with ensuring a “memorable and befitting centenary celebration”, the presidency said.
According to the university’s official website, the “South African Native College”, on the site of Fort Hare University, opened its doors on February 8, 1916. The first principal was Alexander Kerr, a graduate of Edinburgh University and a teacher trained at Moray House.
His only full-time staff assistant was DDT Jabavu, son of one of the founders of the college, whose qualifications included a London University English Honours degree, and Education Diploma of Birmingham University, and considerable first-hand knowledge of American educational systems.
The new college offered courses to students studying for matriculation, agricultural, and business diplomas, and later, for the degree of Bachelor of Arts. In 1923, ZK Matthews received the first degree awarded by the South African Native College.
In 1955, Fort Hare became affiliated with Rhodes University and the name changed to the University College of Fort Hare, which, under the University Education Act, qualified as a university institution.
Full university status was enacted in 1970 and the college became the University of Fort Hare.
– African News Agency (ANA)
