Dear CUT Community

Africa Day 2021 marks 58 years of the historic establishment of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), on the 25th of May 1963, now referred to as the African Union (AU), established in 2002. On this historic day, 30 of the 32 independent African states (at that time) signed a founding charter of the OAU in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The OAU was established because of an increase in the number of African countries’ capture by colonialism and apartheid.

Africa Day 2021 is celebrated under the theme: Arts, Culture and Heritage: Levers for Building the Africa we Want.

However, Africa Day is celebrated against a backdrop of an upended global economy characterised by high unemployment and crime rates, including problems associated with the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on humankind that wreaked havoc across our beautiful continent.

CUT aspires to be a leading African University of Technology by 2030, consistent with strategic intend reflected in the CUT Vision 2030. We therefore call upon all the CUT key stakeholders to join efforts in protecting CUT’s heritage by shielding the rights of others as you would expect them to protect yours in a decorous manner.

We therefore remind all managers, senior and executive managers, to demonstrate the importance of strong and servant leadership and solidarity as we pass through what seems to be a storm leading us to greater heights through self-cleansing and self-reflection to achieve institutional efficiency at operational, strategic and governance levels, respectively.

On this Africa Day, the CUT community is therefore reminded and urged to show high levels of resilience, solidarity, and the spirit of Ubuntu to those who are viewed as marginalised and impoverished, as we showcase efforts towards building the Africa we want in arts, heritage, innovation and entrepreneurship education.

Kind regards / Ditumediso tse mofuthu / Vriendelike groete

Prof. Henk de Jager
Vice-Chancellor and Principal

Download the VC Communique, 26 May 2021 (PDF)

WATCH: CUT Africa Day 2021