Dr Ndanduleni Bernard Nthambeleni has been appointed as the new vice-chancellor and principal of the University of Venda (Univen) with effect from 1 January 2019.
He succeeded Prof Peter Mbati, whose term expired on 31 January this year after serving the university for ten years. Since Mbati's departure, the Univen Council appointed Prof Jan Crafford as the acting principal from 1 February until 31 December 2018.
Nthambeleni is an accomplished and successful executive with more than 22 years' experience in the higher-education sector relating to teaching, management, research management and research administration and capacity-building programmes. He is also the executive director in charge of the grants management and systems administration directorate at the National Research Foundation.
The chairperson of the Univen council, Mr Serobi Maja, said that the appointment of Nthambeleni was important to the university at a challenging time for the South African higher-education sector. "I have no doubt that he would crystallise Univen's vision and be instrumental in driving it into reality. With the challenges of transformation in the higher-education sector, it is to our great advantage to have an academic leader of international standing, someone with the strategic vision to see through the myriad matters locally, nationally and globally," he said.
Nthambeleni said that despite challenges facing the higher-education sector, "I am confident and optimistic that, through effective stakeholder management tactics, the future of Univen would be delivered upon pillars of its strategic intent of research and innovation, quality teaching and learning and community engagement".
He added that he was honoured to inherit a stable and well-operating university. "With active participation and commitment by all strategic stakeholders, Univen will be taken to yet another level."