Mandela leadership school planned for UCT

UCT launched plans last Friday to build a Nelson Mandela memorial centre and school of public governance.

About 100 guests attended the launch at The Hasso Plattner School of Design Thinking Afrika at the middle campus in Rondebosch, including UCT staff, members of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, Premier Alan Winde, UCT Alumni members and Atlantic Philanthropies from America. The latter has committed to grant $21.5 million (R391 million) to this project.

UCT’s interim vice chancellor, Professor Daya Reddy, thanked Atlantic Philanthropies for the grant, which is the largest ever received by the university.

“The Nelson Mandela Memorial Centre will promote the ideals and legacy of the late first democratically elected president and will share the ideals of public service of the late founder of Atlantic Philanthropies, Chuck Feeney,” he said.

Professor Reddy thanked the Nelson Mandela Foundation for its guidance in what he said was a partnership to promote Nelson Mandela’s legacy.

The current Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance is at Linkoping House, Burg Street, Rondebosch, and Professor Reddy said it would be housed in the new memorial centre once it was completed.

The proposed site for the project is at the south-western corner of UCT’s upper campus close to the Table Mountain National Park, and the precinct will be designed through an architectural design competition and offer interactive public art installations.

The plans for the development have yet to be unveiled.

“What makes this development special is that we are going to embody the mountains and view into the incredible legacy of Madiba,” said Sadia Chand, from Chand Consultants, the environmental specialists and public participation coordinators on the project.

Ms Chand said there would be a public participation process and a heritage impact assessment. “We want to be inclusive and transparent, we want to invite voices who will advise the architects as to what they will see and feel at the site,” she said.

South African National Parks (SANParks) board chairperson Pam Yako said they fully supported the project. “It is a good way to partner with the university; it's about recognising a global icon,” she said.

Nelson Mandela Foundation acting CEO Verne Harris, said: “UCT has many historical links with Nelson Mandela and with his family members. It is appropriate that a memorial centre associated with his name be hosted by the university, especially in association with a school dedicated to nurturing the kind of leadership which humanity needs if we are to surmount the challenges confronting us.”

Atlantic Philanthropies president and CEO Christopher Oechsli said: “We firmly believe the teachings and life lessons of Nelson Mandela, in connection with UCT and the Nelson Mandela Foundation, offer a blueprint in leadership courses.”

Premier Winde said: “I am grateful that there are philanthropists that can make such a big donation, and that donation will position us as a region in Africa and the world where the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance reflects on teaching ethical governance.”

Nelson Mandela School of Governance director Professor Faizel Ismail said the development would not only benefit the next generation of leaders for South Africa but the whole continent.

“This leadership must draw on the legacy of the late Nelson Mandela and reflect the values of ubuntu while building the resilience of democratic institutions and transforming our economies to create a prosperous Africa in the 21st century.”