Everything is in a state of readiness as the University prepares to welcome thousands of parents and other interested stakeholders to a four-day annual graduation ceremony that will take place at its iconic Seme Hall, from 16-19 April 2024. These stakeholders and the University staff, and its Chancellor, Mr Sandile Zungu, will witness 3051 students graduating. The bulk of these students will be from the Faculty of Management Sciences – 1315, with Mthobisi Khuzwayo, from the Department of Human Resources Management, receiving a Vice-Chancellor’s Award. The Faculty of Engineering will graduate 1227 graduates; Nontobeko Timamu from the Department of Building, will receive the Vice-Chancellor’s Award. Lastly is the Faculty of Natural Sciences, which will graduate 509 students. Asanda Mavundla, from the Department of Community Extension, will receive the Vice-Chancellor’s Award. This is a four-day event and will have two sessions a day.
Lizwi Masondo, the University’s Safety, Health, and Environment (SHE) Officer, said that in a meeting that sat on 8 April 2024, all members of the Safety and Security structure, it was concluded that the event would take place securely. “Our preparations are between 90% to 95% complete. I am confident that that everything will go according to plan, which includes measures that will secure the event in and around the University,” said Masondo. The members of the structure are the University Protection Services, SHE, SAPS, Durban Metropolitan Police, the Fire Department, and the City’s Environmental Inspectors. Inspectors.
Masondo said the event was categorized as ‘moderate risk’ because of its nature, and because the profile of the attendees.