UNIVERSITY OF FORT HARE HONORARIUM RING PRESENTATION NEWS

Fort Hare honours struggle veterans - The Herald Online

Johannesburg – Nelson Mandela and seven other University of Fort Hare alumni were presented with “honorarium rings” by the Alice-based institution yesterday.

Clad in his trademark “Madiba” shirt, Mandela smiled as he entered the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houghton.

“You must give money to the chief,” he quipped to IFP leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi, another recipient. University chancellor Danisa Baloyi presented the alumni with the gold rings. She praised the recipients for their contribution to the freedom struggle.

She said the university was proud to have produced leaders like Mandela, Oliver Tambo, Buthelezi and others.

Fort Hare spokesman Luthando Bara said the concept of giving honorarium rings to alumni was the first in Africa.

“On our 90th anniversary and Madiba‘s 88th birthday, we saw it as fitting that we cement the relations we have with our alumni with pure gold.”

He said the eight were chosen for the roles they had played in the country‘s politics. The university also presented Mandela with a striped blazer for his birthday.

Rings were also presented – some of them posthumously – to Tambo, Robert Sobukwe, Govan Mbeki, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Ephraim Mokgokong and Khoza Mgojo.

Dali Tambo received the ring on his father‘s behalf and Nobantu Mbeki on his grandfather‘s behalf.

Mandela was expelled from the university in 1940 after participating in a student strike. He completed his BA by correspondence in Johannesburg. – Sapa