Students gained valuable insights into the topic of human trafficking thanks to a partnership between the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences and A21, an organisation which fights human trafficking.

Co-ordinated by Mandie Richards, Senior Lecturer and Transformation Forum Chairperson, and Douglas Dyers, Lecturer and Transformation Forum Representative in the Faculty, the project saw Katie Modrau, A21 South Africa Country Manager, and Chené Fourie, the A21 SA Reach Co-ordinator, sharing information with academics and students.

They interacted with Diversity Management second-year students, co-ordinated by Richards and Advanced Diploma Project Administration students, co-ordinated by Dyers, as students worked on their research projects, which were integrated into the curriculum of their respective subjects.

Richards stated: “False promise and hope are often sold to people, and it is indeed tragic that people are exploited for financial gain, and traffickers take advantage of the vulnerabilities and desperation of people. Even more shocking is that one in every four children are victims of human trafficking.”

Dyers commented: “Human Trafficking is a crime hidden in plain sight, it happens in our communities often, and the responsibility of the Advanced Diploma students is to create awareness as to this shocking crime. The fulltime and part-time students created awareness through activations on campus, as well as in shopping malls and in community spaces”.

“According to national statistics, 30% of people who are trafficked know the traffickers as they are either friends or family members,” said Fourie. She also shared the toll-free number - 0800 222777, which is open 24/7 and 365 days a year, and encouraged students to save the number and to report anything suspicious with regards to the red flags identified in the conversation. She further advised students of the job vetting service offered by A21, should it be required.

Students engaged interactively in the sessions and shared many questions and comments.

Tshepo Ngwane voiced the question many students enquired about: “What signs or indicators should we look for to help identify potential trafficking situations?” Sibabalwe Hlazo commented: “The high unemployment rate and lack of resources is the key contributing factor to human trafficking”, whilst Luzette Tobias, stated: “I never knew that human trafficking was a big thing in South Africa until now. I always thought it just happens overseas”.

Fourie further cautioned students: “Be careful as to your online presence and understand that there are many fake profiles and traffickers online who want to reach and deceive vulnerable people, so do not post any personal information, which can be used to track you and blackmail you.”

Richards stated: “This cohort of second-year and Advanced Diploma students also completed a social media module: What every University Student needs to Know, and accredited by the Digital Law Academy, to prepare them to not only take precautions whilst online, but also to the various online scams in enticing young people seeking employment to various trafficking organisations.”

Students engaged in a silent protest against human trafficking at the Piazza on the District Six campus and created awareness through their digital storytelling videos and displaying their posters, which formed part of the project, in the Commerce Building. Students also joined Richards in the Walk For Freedom, which is an annual day of global awareness organised by A21, as the local action in the fight against human trafficking.

The students indicated that they gained many insights into the topic and that they were unaware of the gravity of Human Trafficking and would be able to share their knowledge in their communities to create further awareness.

Richards further emphasised that the curriculum cannot be taught in silos and that educators have the responsibility to engage young people on the realities of life and encourage them to add their voices to the conversations and share information and empower communities.

Written by CPUT News

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Excitement filled the room in the Cape Town Hotel School when scholars consisting of CPUT staffers, who are mainly women in academics, were recently awarded certificates for completing their SAP train the trainer and newly advance SAP S4 HANA courses.

Prof. Renitha Rampersad, Assistant Dean for Research & Innovation in the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, congratulated the Centre for ERP in Africa (CERPiA) and the graduating women for their achievements and said that women empowerment has become very important in the country.

“Women are contributing to the society. The modern woman is self-confident,” said Rampersad. “I appreciate women who bring success to themselves and others”

CERPIA SAP education manager and trainer, Jerry Ansen, said the CPUT-based CERPIA was established in 2014 from a successfully completed two-year erp4school project, sponsored by GIZ & SAP. “The project aimed to implement the ERP education programme in Africa and CPUT is a Centre for Africa,” said Ansen.

He added that CERPIA was launched as a multidisciplinary Centre in the Faculty where partnerships with other like-minded entities at CPUT could engage to advance the CPUT agenda. CERPIA consists of three units:  Business Informatics Research, SAP/ERP Skills Development and SAP/ERP University Networking in Africa.

“Our current focus is the skilling of students and graduates to enhance their employability in this digital business economy. We have trained 8000+ graduates since 2012 in Africa,” said Ansen. He added that they have trained 800 lecturers and professors from African Universities and colleges and in the process produced over 4 500 Certified SAP ERP graduates in Africa.

He said the 100 women SAP Digital Business Skills development initiative, which was launched in September 2019, has seen 30 women trained from November to December. He added that the training of further 51 women will commence in November 2020.

Yvette Greeff, Senior Talent Development Consultant at The Foschini Group, congratulated the graduates and attributed their achievement to the ADKAR Model. Greeff added that the model is a tool created by Jeff Hiatt that helps to analyse one’s change with a view to better understand it.

• ADKAR is an acronym that represents five concrete outcomes that people need to achieve lasting change, namely Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability and Reinforcement especially in today’s digital transformation economy.

She added that the benefits of lifelong learning are acquisition of new skills and improving old ones, nurturing curious minds, opening minds and increasing wisdom as well as improving memory.

Calvin Maseko, Director: Advancement Department, said his Unit decided to invest unrestricted donor funds in colleagues’ digital business skills to advance their learning and teaching. He thanked his colleagues in the Department for their efforts in raising the funds and doing the administrative work.

“Since 2018 we’ve been working with CERPIA and have helped with funding for the SAP ERP training of 72 staff members and students to the tune of over half a million rand,” added Maseko.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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A CPUT staffer is going to Ireland next year after being awarded a full doctoral scholarship.

Aifani Tahulela, a Research Assistant in the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, has been selected by the AESOP Project to undertake PhD studies in Global Human Development at University College Dublin.

Tahulela went through a rigorous selection process and got the nod from a group of international experts from the consortium’s member institutions in Europe and South Africa.

This is a joint programme and will require of her to spend half of the three years required to obtain a PhD in Dublin and the other at CPUT.

“I am so excited, as I have been dreaming of completing my PhD as a joint programme with an international university and nothing else,” says the tenacious Tahulela.

“My research will focus on sustainable resource management and is linked to Millennium Development Goal 12 which aims to eradicate poverty and improve waste management.”

She hopes to use the knowledge and skills she will gain from her studies to fulfil her long-term dream of establishing the continent’s first waste management centre that will train people to recycle waste and make money from it.

She adds that her PhD studies will lead to collaborative work between the two universities that may open opportunities for CPUT students and staff.

“I want to show my postgraduate students that beyond these mountains there are opportunities.”

She thanks Beryl Liebetrau, the faculty’s Internationalisation Officer, for identifying the opportunity and supporting her with applying for the scholarship, as well as Prof Harry Ballard for his outstanding supervision of her Master’s degree in Public Management, which she completed earlier this year. 

Written by Kwanele Butana
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Prof Chux Gervase Iwu, Acting Assistant Dean: Research & Innovation in the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, has added another feather to his cap after a collaborative research team he leads walked away with this year’s Emerald African Management Research Fund Award.

Iwu was recently presented with a certificate and funding for their research project entitled, “The wholesale-retail nexus: An assessment of the role of immigrant African wholesalers in the development of the retail entrepreneurship in South Africa”.

Iwu has won numerous accolades for his outstanding research work and has presented papers at many international conferences.

“Considering that I have received almost similar awards in the past, it sort of validates the necessity of researching emerging economies' socioeconomic matters.”

Emerald Publishing was founded in 1967 to champion new ideas that advance the research and practice of business and management. It manages a portfolio of nearly 300 journals, more than 2 500 books and over 1 500 teaching cases.

Emerald supports researchers through its awards programme which includes various research fund awards among others.

In addition to teaching entrepreneurship to students, Iwu is also assembling a team to gather data for the project.

“It makes me feel good that people are acknowledging the value of immigrant/migrant focused research so that we can start debunking the myths that immigrants are here to take people’s jobs and wives,” he jokingly adds.

“But seriously, the characterisation of migrants as desperate, dirty and dangerous (the infamous 3D euphemism) by the International Labour Organisation seems to represent indigenes' overall perceptions of the average migrant.

“And we can't say that the ill-treatment of immigrants by locals, and please note that this is not unique to South Africa, is not a reflection of the anxiety of locals. So, the value of this study is such that the reader gets to know that immigrants actually add value to mainstream socioeconomic dynamics of any nation.”

Written by Kwanele Butana
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In a move to assist students with their academic development, the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences recently took its Extended Curriculum Programme students on a guided tour of the National Library of South Africa.

The national library collects all material published in South Africa and makes it available to everyone including researchers, academics and students.

Users of the library can make use of the following resources:

• Online Public Access Catalogue (OPAC) that can be accessed via the Internet;
• Reference Section, Special Collections and Reader Services;
• Librarians that can assist in person, via e-mail, telephone, faxes;
• Internet/ wi-fi facilities;
• Sabinet and;
• all books, newspapers, periodicals and government publications published in South Africa.

Ghalieb Essop, the faculty’s Project Co-ordinator: Student Success and Retention, says that the use of this national resource will take some pressure off the university’s libraries as tens of thousands of students regularly compete for using the same library services.

Essop adds that students need to use this library’s services in order to ensure its optimal use and that in turn this will go a long way to bring about a high pass rate at the university.

“As part of my responsibility I have met with various external stakeholders which led me to identify the National Library of South Africa as a major player in assisting us achieving this objective.”

Najwa Hendrickse, Chief Librarian at the national library, told the students that the library is the oldest in the country and will be turning 200 years old in 2018.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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Faculty of Business and Management Sciences in collaboration with the Alumni Office recently hosted its annual Diversity Seminar on the Cape Town Campus.

The theme this year was Silent Youth Voices, and all speakers emphasized the need for this generation to make their voices heard and take responsibility for their actions.

Artscape CEO, Marlene le Roux encouraged the audience to recognize differences among themselves and shared what needs to be done in the future to bring about social cohesion, nation building and inclusiveness.

“Now is the time to think, feel and act differently,” said Le Roux.

CPUT alumnus Toni Stuart, who is a fulltime poet, told the audience that she gets paid to write, perform and teach poetry.

Stuart said her poetry comes from silence. “If there’s no silence we won’t hear others’ voices as well as our own.”

A group of Office Management and Technology (OMT) students, whose story was called Youth Voices, received the award for the Best Digital StoryTelling Video and walked away with certificates. 

Charlton Gary Brandt was selected as the Pay It Forward 2016 Champion for the volunteering he has done and continues to do in the community.

All first year OMT students have to engage in the Pay It Forward Project which is linked to the curriculum.

“Students are selected from each class to receive a merit award, based on their engagement with communities, the professionalism they display, the time periods they volunteer as well as feedback from the organizations at which they volunteer. It is imperative that students volunteer their services and in so doing, assist in uplifting communities.  Education is  not about one person being advantaged, it is about communities being the beneficiaries, ” says OMT senior lecturer Mandie Richards.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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To add value to the quality of its academic programmes, the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences has this year sent 10 deserving students to European universities as part of its International Exchange Programme.

The students recently joined the faculty’s partner universities in France, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands where they will attend class for the next three months.

The students are in the departments of Office Management and Technology, Marketing, Retail Business Management, and Entrepreneurship.

The Office Management and Technology students departed in April while the other departments left this month.

The student are selected by their respective departments, and once accepted into the programme they receive sponsorship from the faculty for travel, accommodation and subsistence expenses.

The faculty’s Associate Dean, Ivan van der Heever, met with the students before their departure to wish them well on their journey.

Van der Heever encouraged the students to commit to their studies and to enjoy their new surroundings and make the most of the opportunity.

The faculty’s programme has been running for over ten years and receives 30 students every semester from 15 partner universities in Europe. As part of the exchange, the faculty has the opportunity to send students to the European universities every year.

For more information contact the programme’s Co-ordinator, Nizaam Peck, on 021 460 8392 or visit room E3.33B in the Engineering Building at the Cape Town Campus.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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CPUT students' life stories have been shared at an international conference in Spain.

A senior lecturer in the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences has presented a paper on Digital Storytelling at the recent 7^th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies in Barcelona, Spain.

The title of Mandie Richards’ paper was Creating a Platform for Transformation through Digital Storytelling. 

Richards also chaired a session at the conference called Technologies in Business Management Education.

Digital Storytelling has been integrated into the curriculum for Diversity Management 1, a subject she co-ordinates, as it allows students to explore their culture and identities and share their stories with their class mates.

She says that the subject provides opportunities for students to learn about each other and creates awareness about the diversity and socio-economic backgrounds of each individual.

“Very often students have no idea as to the adversities many students have to overcome to get to this point of studying at a tertiary institution,” says Richards.

In addition to students telling their stories, writing a script and improving their acting voice, they also have to provide a social comment to educate viewers about their story.

She feels that it is important that educators use technology creatively to captivate students, whilst adding value to their experience at university.

“Networking at the conference has also led to many new ideas which may be implemented into the Digital Storytelling methodology in the future,” she adds.

Richards joined the CPUT Digital storytelling project in 2013, and thus far more than 550 students have participated in sharing their stories through Digital Storytelling. Read more about Digital Storytelling at CPUT here http://bit.ly/1bd3VDo

Written by Kwanele Butana

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An academic in the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences will be teaming up with European universities in research collaboration projects for which funding will be solicited from the European Union (EU).

Dr Michael Twum-Darko has recently returned from Slovakia where he formed the partnerships during the 4th International Week of Erasmus+ Teaching Staff Mobility at the University of Economics in Bratislava (UEB).

Twum-Darko says the event saw him building rapport with teaching staff from UEB and other European universities in order to strengthen international networks and exchange ideas.

“The participation is also for CPUT to meet the objective of supporting the staff mobility as part of its modernisation and internationalisation strategy, and to recognise it as a component in any evaluation or assessment of the teaching staff member.”

He will embark on collaborative research projects with the UEB and Niccolò Cusano University, Rome.

The projects include research on e-Leadership and e-Readiness in the public sectors of South Africa and Slovakia.

“A conceptual paper will soon be published as well as data collection in Bratislava City for comparative research.”

Sustainable Energy and Women Empowerment are some of the issues that will be explored. Twum-Darko adds that these issues require a substantial consortium to deliver outcomes aligned to the EU’s Sustainable Development Goals.

He says that at the event he shared his experience with his European counterparts and received knowledge that is likely to impact the research and collaboration agenda of his faculty and CPUT.

“I hope this will be a source of inspiration to other staff members.”

Written by Kwanele Butana
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Graduates were reminded that success in life requires hard work which no one else but them will have to do.

“Worry about the mark you will leave in the world,” said Councillor Xanthea Limberg, Mayoral Committee Member for Corporate Services in the City of Cape Town as well as CPUT councilor.

Limberg was addressing this afternoon’s graduation ceremony of the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences as the guest speaker.

“Use your newly-found freedom to determine what your contribution to the world will be,” she said.

She warned the graduates that the road ahead may be rough and hard and that they should not despair even when doors are slammed in their faces or when their dream jobs seem to elude them.

“Fortune favours the bold. With courage you can’t be defeated.”

She added that nothing is someone else’s problem and that each individual needs to address the challenges they are faced with.

“It’s better to inspire others than directing them. For me there’s only one type of leadership and that is servant leadership.”

She urged the graduates to toss down a ladder for those less fortunate than them to step on it and achieve their dreams.

She encouraged them to be interested in the developments around them so that they can find themselves a role to play to influence their direction.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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CPUT graduates were encouraged to allow worthy causes to determine their actions instead of being motivated by material gain.

This was the advice given by Dr Hasmukh Gajjar, Director of Free Your Mind Technologies, who was the guest speaker at last night’s graduation ceremony of the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences.

Having practised as a medical doctor for 12 years, Gajjar told the audience that he entered the world of business by accident and not by design.

“I was not motivated by material gain, but by a worthy cause,” he said.

“Spin the wheel, but never spin it expecting something in return because it may not spin for you.”

He said in the 1990s he was handpicked by former Director-General of the Department of Communications, Andile Ngcaba, to become the chairperson of the Vodacom Board of Directors where he ushered an era of transformation.

He told the audience that transformation was not a spectators’ sport and that everyone has a role to play.

He encouraged the graduates to follow their passions when choosing their vocations and warned that while tertiary education is necessary, it is not enough to spearhead them into fulfilling careers.

He urged them to gear up for life-long learning. “Learning does not cease today, you are about to enter the world of knowledge economy.”

He forecast that in 2019 70% of Sub-Saharan Africa will be covered in 3G Mobile Technology or even 4G and advised the graduates to enter the world with a mobile mind-set.

News of CPUT’s extraordinary alumni can be found in our Grad Mag 2016.

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Prof Harry Ballard from CPUT’s Public Management Department urged graduates in the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences to make the university proud by attracting only good media publicity after they enter the world of work.

“We look forward to reading in newspapers about only the good things you do,” said Ballard.

He said that everyday newspapers are filled with stories of corruption, non-compliance with good governance principles and unethical behaviour.

He added that the country needs ethical leaders who treat followers like they themselves would want to be treated.

He said the graduates should adhere to values of honesty, probity, accountability as they are the university’s greatest pride.

“In the workplace you’ll be judged by how you interact with your colleagues, subordinates and customers,” he said.

He pleaded with them to never stop learning. 

This morning, hundreds of graduates were awarded diplomas and degrees in Hospitality Management, Public Management, Sport Management and Taxation.

News of CPUT’s extraordinary alumni can be found in our Grad Mag 2016.

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CPUT graduates were encouraged to adopt the values of ubuntu leadership style when interacting with their customers, colleagues and fellow citizens.

“Ubuntu leadership style requires putting the people first, it’s based on the realization that I am a leader because of my followers,” said Andile Sipengane, acting CEO of the Wholesale and Retail Sector Education and Training Authority.

Sipengane was the guest speaker at last night’s graduation ceremony of the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences.

He said that the country was in dire need of servant leadership with a heart.

He argued that leadership, or its lack thereof, was at the core of the challenges facing the country.

“More than ever before we need to go back to the principles of ubuntu, you need to have integrity, empathy, care,” he said.

He added that leaders represent the aspirations of their follower and organizations.

He encouraged graduates to have a positive attitude and keep a smiling face at all times.

“When your followers start drifting away from you it’s because of your attitude,” he said.

He observed that some leaders often see followers just as staff members or numbers but argued that people are a core fiber of leadership.  

This morning will see hundreds of graduates in the Faculty of Engineering being capped.

News of CPUT’s extraordinary alumni can be found in our Grad Mag 2016.

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Located in the heart of District Six, the Cape Town Campus accommodates the largest number of CPUT students, with over 16 000 calling the campus home.

The campus houses the university’s largest faculty, the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, as well as the Faculty of Informatics and Design. A select number of courses offered by the Faculties of Applied Sciences, and Health and Wellness Sciences are also offered on the campus.

Inspired by CPUT’s vision to be at the heart of technology education and innovation in Africa, students have access to cutting edge facilities such as high-tech laboratories, computer labs, study areas and a well-stocked library.

While the university concerns itself with the intellectual development of the nation’s future leaders, it also cares about students’ wellness.

For advice on health matters, such as HIV testing and TB screening, student can visit the well-equipped HIV/Aids Unit, which is based in the Administration Building. Students also have access to social workers and psychologists at the Student Counselling Unit.

For healthcare, student have access to the various services offered by the professionally run clinic, which is also housed in the Administration Building.

The campus’ amphitheater, called the Piazza, is a hub of social activity as students attend various functions hosted by Department of Student Affairs, while the student centre attends to everyone’s nutritional needs.

HUB OF SOCIAL ACTIVITY: Students flood the Piazza during events hosted by the Department of Student Affairs

View Cape Town Campus contact details and maps

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The Strategic Initiatives and Partnership (SIP) Directorate recently hosted Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences who has an existing collaboration with the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences (FBMS).

The aim was to touch base with FBMS and to expand the collaboration to other faculties.

“In this regard, the SIP Office was contacted to engage in discussions as to how we can expand on the partnership, in particular there was interest with the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment (FEBE),” said Dr Tasmeera Singh, Manager: International Relations SIP.

The CPUT delegation included SIP director, Prof Judy Peter, Prof Veruscha Fester: Assistant Dean: Research, Technology, Innovation & Partnerships (FEBE), Dr Fareed Ismail: Senior Lecturer/Researcher of FEBE and Xolelwa Bashala: Office Administrator of Strategic Initiatives and Partnership meanwhile Hochschule München University of Applied Sciences was represented by Veronika Wäninger: Non-EU Mobility of Stabsabteilung International Office.

Peter extended a warm welcome to everyone present in the meeting. Fester conducted a presentation about the FEBE which included the CPUT structure and background:

• FEBE structure and governance
• CPUT V2030 Focus areas applicable to FEBE
• FEBE Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes
• Faculty research focus areas
• FEBE Flagship projects

Peter conducted a short presentation about the Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships:

• The CPUT Smart Focus Areas
• SIP Internationalisation role
• Facilitate student leadership and agency
• CPUT active partnerships (Erasmus+, African and International)
• International Education Forum

Singh said the meeting was “very good” as there is great potential for expanding the collaboration constructively.

There were also discussions on potential collaborations around engineering management, staff exchange for Nano and 3D printing fields of research. Singh added that the “successful meeting was a starting point for further engagement with different faculties across CPUT”.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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The Dean of the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences (FBMS), Prof Paul Green, recently hosted a delegation from Tshwane University of Technology’s Faculty of Management Sciences, led by the Executive Dean, Dr Edgar Nesamvuni.

The purpose of the meeting was to establish SMART engagements and collaboration between the universities. In the higher education environment where resources have been dwindling, both Deans expressed the intention to build partnerships to leverage each other’s strengths as an avenue for growth.

The meeting followed an open agenda with Green showcasing the FBMS, using the faculty video, followed by a presentation from Nesamvuni.

In the discussions that ensued, similarities in programmes, challenges with supervision capacity, strategies to improve staff qualifications and third-stream income generation were shared.

Both parties concurred that the meeting was beneficial and that further collaboration would follow. Green and Nesamvuni agreed to pursue a Memorandum of Agreement as a next step to formalise the engagement between the two universities.

Written by CPUT News
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Always aspire to create meaningful change.

This was the message to graduates from Dr Nonhlanhla Makhanya, Chief Nursing Officer in the Department of Health, during a graduation ceremony for nursing graduates as well graduates in the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences.

The ceremony was the 15th of 16 ceremonies in CPUT’s Autumn Graduation Series.

“Remember, if you can imagine it, you can achieve it, if you can dream it, you can become it. However, all dreams come true if you have courage to pursue them.”

She encouraged the graduates to have courage as they venture into the world of work.

“Give all you have in the service of mankind,” she told nursing graduates.

During a badge and lamp lighting ceremony held a day prior to the graduation ceremony new nursing graduates committed themselves to the profession by taking the nurses pledge of service.

The lighting of the lamps is a tradition that goes back for centuries and symbolises the lamp that was carried by Florence Nightingale who is considered to be pioneer of modern nursing.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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Talent and discipline are important, but so is humility, said co-founder of Washirika Holdings, Romeo Kumalo.

Kumalo was the guest speaker at the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences graduation, where diplomas and degrees were conferred to graduates in the fields of Management, Human Resource Development, Human Resources Management and Business Administration.

A business tycoon, Kumalo urged graduates to live a life or service, as well as to invest their time wisely.

 “Invest time and effort in knowing what your passion is, because your passion makes you see opportunities where others don’t.”

He also told the graduating class to remain positive, adding that while he was starting his own company, Washirika Holdings, he had to always try and have a positive outlook.

“Optimism opens you up to new ideas.”

Kumalo encouraged graduates to study further, be curious, take action, choose wisely and always be kind.

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Graduates in the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences were urged to actively look for opportunities and not wait for them to come their way.

Alana James, CEO at the Sunflower Fund Foundation, who addressed the graduates and their family members, said opportunities are everywhere.

She advised them to start looking for opportunities from people in their immediate circles such as their fellow graduates.

She also urged graduates to dream, but cautioned that not acting on one's dreams will take you nowhere.

James said graduates should also experiment with new activities as that might ignite new passions.

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An economics strategist urged graduates to use their power judiciously and not abuse it as well as to strive to respect others including the poor and vulnerable despite their race, religion or political persuasion.

Dr Thabi Leoka, an economist at Argon Asset Management, was the guest speaker at a graduation ceremony of the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences.

She said leadership is a product of social influence and that opportunity of leadership is power to make a difference.

“Power of leadership always comes with the requirement to be a responsible leader.”

She congratulated the graduates on their great achievement, but warned them of the country’s challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment.

During the ceremony, the university awarded Lou Chloe Zagagnoni the coveted Dean’s Medal. Lou who graduated with a National Diploma in Tourism Management obtained 16 distinctions out of 18 subjects with a final aggregate of 87% over the three years of study.

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