UNIVEN Chancellor, Adv Mojanku Gumbi
During his Cabinet reshuffle speech in the evening of Thursday, 05 August 2021, President Cyril Ramaphosa said, as part of the critical measures that the South African government is undertaking to strengthen its security services and to prevent a recurrence of recent events in some parts of the country, he has appointed a panel of experts to lead a thorough and critical review of the country’s preparedness and the shortcomings in the government’s response. The University of Venda (UNIVEN) Chancellor, Advocate Mojanku Gumbi is among a panel of experts that will examine all aspects of the Country’s security response
He mentioned that the panel will examine all aspects of the country’s security response and will make recommendations on strengthening the country’s capabilities.
Advocate Mojanku Gumbi is a human rights lawyer, who has worked as both an Attorney and Advocate and has over 30 years of experience in private practice, public policy development and African conflict resolution.
She holds Law degrees from the University of Limpopo (former University of the North) and the University of Witwatersrand, as well as a certificate in Trial Advocacy from the University of Texas in Austin.
Advocate Gumbi acted as the Head of the Adjudication Secretariat of the Independent Electoral Commission during South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994.
She was the Special Advisor to South African President Thabo Mbeki from 1999 to 2008. From 1994 to 1999, she was an Advisor to the then Deputy President Mbeki in the Mandela administration. During this time, she spearheaded South Africa’s economic diplomacy, ensuring a global presence for South African companies, as well as peace-making initiatives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Sudan, Lesotho, Somalia, the Balkans and the Middle East. At the same time, she also provided advice to the Presidential Office on domestic policy issues including the reform of the local healthcare industry, the expansion of South African telecoms operators to the rest of Africa and the world, banking and mining sector reforms.
Advocate Gumbi serves and has served on the boards of many companies, trusts and philanthropic foundations, including the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, the Open Society Foundation, the Southern African Political and Economic Trust, the Black Lawyers Association, and the Thabo Mbeki Foundation.
She also served on the Councils of the former University of the North (now the University of Limpopo) and the former Technikon of the Witwatersrand (which merged with the former Rand Afrikaans University in 2005 to form the University of Johannesburg).
The University of Venda Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Dr Bernard Nthambeleni when congratulating the UNIVEN Chancellor said “ This is indeed a great opportunity. I know you’ve worked hard to reach this point, and I’m so happy that you’ve been recognised for your accomplishment with this significant assignment. With your vast experience and expertise, I am confident that you’ll rise to the occasion. Congratulations on your new position.
Issued by:
Department of Marketing, Branding & Communication
University of Venda
Tel: (015) 962 8525 /8710
Date: 07 August 2021
