By Frans Sello waga Machate I Pretoria, South Africa
UNISA, PRETORIA – In a moving address marking the start of a pivotal national initiative, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of South Africa (UNISA), Professor Puleng LenkaBula, officially opened the First National Convention of the National Dialogue on Friday, 15 August 2025.
Held at UNISA’s ZK Matthews Great Hall in Pretoria, the event gathered a broad cross-section of national leadership, from President Cyril Ramaphosa to representatives from civil society, religious, traditional, royal, business, and labour.
Prof. LenkaBula framed the two-day convention as a critical “turning point” for the nation. She stated that the dialogue presents a grand opportunity for citizens to collectively “define the future South Africa we want” and to build consensus on a shared vision to overcome current challenges of “hopelessness, restlessness, and stagnation.”
Acknowledging the nation’s complex heritage, the VC noted that South Africans come from “a past of many pasts”, one marked by struggle, oppression, and inequality, but also by triumph, rich culture, and innovation. It is from this history, she argued, that the nation must find the strength to “reclaim our futures” and arrest the current decline.
“We are people of many shades, united in our diversity,” she said. “We have done it before when we emerged out of the darkest days of Apartheid to build a new South Africa. This process gives us a grand opportunity to find our true North again.”
Emphasising the spirit of Ubuntu; the philosophy that “I am because you are” – Prof. LenkaBula called for delegates to truly “see each other” as equals to foster genuine dialogue. She expressed hope that the convention would be a space to debate and contest ideas, but, more importantly, to find tangible solutions that would allow every South African to reach their full potential.
UNISA, as Africa’s oldest and largest university, was described as the ideal venue for such a critical national conversation, aligning with its mission of “shaping futures in the service of humanity.”
Concluding with a quote from the late National Poet Laureate, Keorapetse Kgositsile, and a benediction borrowed from Nelson Mandela, Prof. LenkaBula expressed her fervent hope that “the sun never set on this glorious process” and that the South African promise would finally blossom.
