The Durban University of Technology’s Vice-Chancellor and principal, Professor Thandwa Mthembu was nominated as an honorary ‘golden key’ member by DUT students as well as for his vast professional contributions to the areas of education.  

Becoming part of the prestigious Golden Key Society, an internationally recognised, non-profit organisation affiliated with over 400 universities worldwide, is only granted through an honorary membership to a few individuals that epitomise the Golden Key’s values of engagement and overall excellence in their chosen field. Golden Key is South Africa’s first honour society and DUT is one of only two UOT’s to be affiliated with the society. Prof Mthembu received his membership into the Golden Key International Honour Society which is based at the Durban University of Technology Chapter.

“I am really very honoured and proud to be receiving such an accolade. Actually, one of my daughters is also part of Golden Key at Wits University. So, I have known about the Golden Key for least for 20 years from members of staff and when I was at Wits University,” he said proudly. 

In 2015, joined the DUT Golden Key Chapter; proudly housed within the Student Counselling and Health Department. The society’s mission is to enable members to realise their potential by connecting individual achievement with service and lifelong opportunity.

Sihle Mbanjwa, co-chapter advisor for the chapter at DUT, and head of the student counselling department, said Golden Keys is an international honour society that looks at the high-performing students at any institution. “For DUT, the chapter started three years ago, and our aim is to try and make it grow in terms of DUT. There’s also a lot more opportunities for those selected students, you can go overseas and connect with other members, so it’s mostly about academic excellence,” he said.

Brett Nadasen, president of the Golden Key International Honours Society – DUT Chapter, added that DUT’s vice-chancellor and principal, Professor Thandwa Mthembu is now added to that list of honorary members, who has in addition to his individual accomplishments, was nominated by the students because of their support of his academic excellence, leadership and service.

 “Thank you for accepting the honorary membership to the Golden Key Society, I think having people of your calibre on board is critical for the society as a whole but also for the DUT chapter that is based at the University. The view is to grow the awareness of the society, there’s no doubt that DUT is a fantastic University and the chapter, moving forward, is definitely set to grow. It is an honour to have you as an honorary member of the society at large,” said Nadesan.

Also, another DUT staff member, Mr Alan Khan, Senior Director at Corporate Affairs, also received an honorary membership into the Golden Key International Honour Society: Durban University of Technology Chapter. He expressed his immense joy of being nominated alongside our vice-chancellor and principal, Professor Thandwa Mthembu.

Pictured: Sihle Mbanjwa (co-chapter advisor for the chapter at DUT) and Brett Nadasen (President of the Golden Key International Honours Society – DUT Chapter), hand over the Golden Key honorary membership certificate to  DUT’s Prof Thandwa Mthembu .

Waheeda Peters