The Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in South Africa awarded nine Durban University of Technology students for submitting outstanding essays in the South African University Essay Competition themed: Xi Jinping’s Thought Through South African Students’ Eyes. The awards ceremony was held in Tshwane (Pretoria) on Saturday, 12 November 2022.
The DUT winners were part of a group that comprised of 59 students from six South African universities, who were acknowledged for their excellent writing. The six participating universities were, Durban University of Technology (DUT), University of Johannesburg (UJ), University of Cape Town (UCT), Stellenbosch University (SU), Rhodes University (RU) and the University of Western Cape (UWC).
Amongst dignitaries who attended the event was the Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Mr Buti Manamela, who delivered the keynote address. Also in attendance was the, His Excellency Mr Chen Xiaodong, who congratulated the students for their dedication to this essay contest. The essay topics included: poverty alleviation, governance philosophy, ecological conservation, a community with a shared future for mankind and BRICS.
Accompanying the DUT students at the event was the Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement, Professor Keolebogile Motaung and Mr Frank Lin Wu, Co-Director of the DUT Confucius Institute (CI).
Conveying her congratulatory remarks, Prof Motaung said: “It gives me great pleasure to congratulate our brilliant students who won the South African University Students Essay Contest, which was equally organised by DUT, UCT, UJ, SU, RU and UWC. I would like to take this opportunity, on behalf of all of the universities involved, to express our immense gratitude to the Chinese Embassy in South Africa for your generous sponsorship of this event.”
She further expressed that DUT and its Confucius Institute was committed to promoting youth development.
“As a young, dynamic and robust university in democratic South Africa, at DUT, we are so lucky to have our own Confucius Institute, which was established on 26 March 2013 under the witness of the Chinese President Mr XI Jinping. We also enjoy a very good partnership with many Chinese universities, including our Chinese partner university, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU). We are confident that we will continually develop DUT’s CI as a key people-to-people exchange centre in South Africa, that will deepen academic, scientific and intellectual engagement between FAFU and DUT; that will strengthen the connection and relations between our people; and that will promote mutual trust and friendship between both countries,” added Prof Motaung.
Pictured: From left to right, Mr Xudong LI, Counsellor (Education) Chinese Embassy in South Africa, His Excellency, Ambassador Chen Xiaodong, the DUT Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement, Professor Keolebogile Motaung, Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Mr Buti Manamela, DUT student, Mr Vuyo Gxekwa who was the Ambassador award recipient and Mr Frank Lin Wu, Co-Director of the DUT Confucius Institute (CI).
Sharing the same sentiments, Mr Frank Lin Wu, Co-Director of the Confucius Institute at DUT said: “I would like to congratulate all the students involved in this contest. I am so glad to see that the South African youth is starting to look for the answers, to what enables China to get out of poverty and what South Africans could learn from China about disciplined thought and disciplined action. Next year will mark the 10th anniversary of the establishment of DUT CI, which is a new epoch in DUT CI’s history. Looking into the future, I am hope that more youth can achieve their goals through the projects offered by Confucius Institute.”
The nine DUT students who were victorious and announced as winners at the prestigious ceremony were:
- Mr Vuyo Gxekwa, a Mechanical Engineering student who won the Ambassador Prize for his essay titled: The Global Development Initiative: How Useful and Prudent is Xi Jinping’s Global Development Initiative for Advancing the Wellbeing of Humanity?
- Ms Ziphezinhle Khonyane, an Applied Management student who won First Prize for her essay titled: High-Quality Co-Operation In Brics.
- Also winning First Prize was Dhashen Sevenundan, a Journalism student for his essay titled: World Peace Is China’s Fortress.
- The two Second Prize winners were Mr Mcebo Linda, an Industrial Engineering student for his essay titled: China’s National Governance System,
- And Ms Thandeka Luthuli, a Financial Accounting student for her essay titled: Building a Community of a Shared Future.
- Winning the Third Prize were four students namely; Mr Kwanyana Qiniso, a Financial Accounting student for his essay titled: The collaboration,
- Mr Mfundo Phonswa, an Information Technology student for his essay titled: Build a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind,
- Ms Lebogang Mononyane, a Somatology student, for her essay titled: Building a Community of a Shared Future,
- And Mr Sanele Ntuli, a Mechanical Engineering student for his essay titled: Poverty Eradication.
Pictured: Mr Frank Lin Wu, Co-Director of the Confucius Institute at DUT with the DUT students who won at the South African University Essay Competition.
Simangele Zuma
