CAMPUS RELEASE - 28 NOVEMBER 2006

WSU ELECTS LEADING SA WOMAN AS FIRST CHANCELLOR

Walter Sisulu University is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Brigalia Bam as the institution’s first Chancellor.

Dr Bam, who is the Chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission, was elected out of a number of high-profile nominees at a recent meeting of the University’s Council. She is a leading public figure in both public service and in women development issues as well as in higher education.

Educated in South Africa and abroad in teaching, social work, communications and management, Brigalia Bam has led an active public life. Her first formal employment was as a teacher. She has held a variety of high profile positions both is South Africa and around the world, including the following:
• Programme Director of the World Council of Churches in Geneva between 1967 and 1998;
• Africa Regional Secretary and Co-ordinator of the Women Workers’ Programme for the International Food and Allied Workers’ Association;
• National Executive Secretary of the World Affiliated YWCA of South Africa;
• Executive Programme Secretary for the Women’s Department of the World Council of Churches;
• Deputy Chairperson of the Council of Unisa;
• Chancellor of the former University of Port Elizabeth (now a merger partner in Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University).
At the time of her appointment as Chairperson of the Electoral Commission in 1998, Dr Bam was General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches. She serves on several public bodies, inter alia as Vice-Chairperson of the South African Human Rights Commission.

In addition she is Founder and President of the Women’s Development Foundation and has numerous other memberships and interests. She has extensive experience in lecturing and in radio and television broadcasting and has published widely.

Dr Bam hails from the small village of Goqwana near Tsolo in the Eastern Cape. She has a Masters Degree in Communications from the University of Chicago in the USA. In 1999 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Law by the former University of Transkei – one of the institutions that have merged to form the new Walter Sisulu University. She holds numerous other honorary doctoral degrees from universities in South Africa and abroad. The universities that have honoured her include Victoria University (Canada), Fort Hare, Durban-Westville, Unisa, Stellenbosch and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University.

The University community is proud to have a person of the calibre of Dr Bam as its first Chancellor.

Please direct any enquiries to the Office of the Registrar at 047 502 2217; fax 047 502 2330.