Ntabankulu hosts homecoming for new iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu Vice-Chancellor

A homecoming celebration was held in Ntabankulu on 25 April 2026 to welcome Dr Thandi Mgwebi following her appointment as Vice-Chancellor and Principal of iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu.

The event comes as the university is undergoing changes to its institutional identity, following a recent rebranding process aimed at repositioning the institution. However, how this rebranding will influence its role in rural districts like Alfred Nzo has not been clearly outlined.

The ceremony, hosted by Alfred Nzo District Municipality, brought together community members, traditional leaders, and university representatives to honour Mgwebi as a “daughter of the soil” returning home after rising to lead a major higher education institution.

Executive Mayor, Cllr. Tsileng Sobuthongo used the platform to publicly back Mgwebi’s leadership and signal plans for closer collaboration with the university to address local challenges.

“We stand here today not only to celebrate, but to affirm our unwavering support and readiness to walk this journey alongside the University under your leadership,” Sobuthongo said.

He said the district expects the university to play a direct role in solving local problems, not just producing graduates.

“We want to move away from reciting the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment towards more practical and real steps to solving and bettering the conditions of our people,” he said.

Sobuthongo also used the event to renew calls for the establishment of Ntabankulu hosts homecoming for new iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu campus within Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Municipality, where Bizana is located. However, no specific site in Bizana town was confirmed, and no timeline, funding plan or formal agreement was announced. This has not been confirmed.

While the gathering was largely celebratory, it highlighted growing pressure on institutions like Walter Sisulu University to contribute directly to rural development. Municipal leadership pointed to issues such as water access, road infrastructure and the need to commercialise subsistence farming as areas where research partnerships could make a difference.

For residents of Alfred Nzo, the moment carries symbolic weight. Leaders described Mgwebi’s appointment as proof that rural communities like Ntabankulu can produce top leadership in higher education, especially for young women in the Eastern Cape.

But beyond the symbolism, expectations are high. The district continues to face unemployment, infrastructure backlogs and limited access to higher education facilities.

If pursued, a university presence closer to Bizana could improve access to higher education for rural students across Pondoland, especially at a time when the institution is redefining its identity and future direction. For now, these outcomes remain uncertain.

iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu has not yet outlined specific programmes or partnerships linked to the mayor’s proposal or how its rebranding will impact rural expansion. This has not been confirmed.

Residents will now be watching whether the commitments made during the ceremony lead to tangible development outcomes.

We will update this story as more information becomes available on any agreements between the municipality and the university.