Prof Tshilidzi Marwala, former vice-chancellor and principal of the University of Johannesburg, will be assuming his responsibilities as rector of the United Nations University (UNU) in Tokyo, Japan, with effect from 1 March this year. This is indeed a great honour as Marwala will be the first African to be appointed in this prestigious position.
Khathu Mamaila, former City Press editor and one of Marwala's classmates at Mbilwi Secondary School back in the day, described the professor as a very dedicated learner. Mamaila, who was head boy of the matric class of 1989, was speaking during a farewell function that was held for Marwala by his former classmates in Mbilwi's school hall on Friday, 3 February.
"I was at the farewell function for him at the University of Johannesburg two weeks ago. One of the guests seated next to me asked me: 'how do you know Professor Tshilidzi Marwala?'. I replied that we were classmates in school and the man looked at me like he had just seen a ghost, in total disbelief. 'How was he as a student?' he asked me. 'Was he the smartest in your class?' And I said 'No, he was not the smartest in our class, but he was by far the most hardworking student in our class'," Mamaila said.
Mamaila said Marwala was such a huge achiever that he had the status of "academic superman". "We must appreciate his achievements. He is just a boy from the rural village of Duthuni who, like many of us, went to school at Mbilwi Secondary School."
He advised Mbilwi's matric class of 2023 to work hard and be disciplined and nothing else, and to regard education as the most potent weapon to break the circle of poverty.
Professor Marwala thanked Mamaila and everyone present for their kind farewell words. "My journey seemingly began small but, as anyone connected to Mbilwi Secondary School will tell you, great things often emerge from this space. Mbilwi is my butterfly," he said fondly.
To date, Marwala has written 27 books - one in Chinese – of which many were inspired by the lessons he had learnt as a student at Mbilwi.