By The Division of Communication and Advancement
‘Ubuntu’ is often used to describe a sense of shared responsibility and humanity, perhaps even virtues that underpin shared development. But when Rhodes University officially launched the Masakhe Enterprise and Supplier Development Programme (MESDP) recently, it was clear that Ubuntu is a lived experience grounded in vision.
The strategic initiative aims to revitalise the local economy of Makhanda by investing in small businesses. The university-community partnership is led by Rhodes University’s Department of Administration, Finance, and Procurement in collaboration with Rhodes University Community Engagement (RUCE), Rhodes Business School, and the NPO Assumption Development Centre (ADC).
Stakeholders gathered at the launch to share the positive impact the programme has had on Makhanda since its inception last year. The programme aims to accelerate enterprise and supplier development to benefit both Rhodes University and the broader community, especially the youth-owned businesses.
Among the guests were local enterprise owners who shared their feelings about the success of the programme and highlighted how it had helped them uplift not only their own lives but the lives of other citizens.
SIZO MEDIA founder Siphosethu Zono was one of the speakers at the event. He said “SIZO MEDIA’s journey is a testimony that the vision Rhodes University has of Makhanda is actually working.”
“I’m born and bred in Makhanda,” he shared, saying the programme has helped him to grow from being a lone freelancer to leading a team of colleagues. This team includes creatives, young people, and students, all with the opportunity to invest back into their communities through the audio-visual work SIZO MEDIA does. Using the analogy that it is better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish, Zono said: “Through the lens, our drones, and our artistic skills, we have learned that we now can fish ourselves out of the indignity of unemployment.”
Rhodes University Vice Chancellor, Professor Sizwe Mabizela, has been consistent in his drive to invest in the Makhanda community, stating, “We are not only geographically located in this city, but we are of and for this city.” This vision has driven the University to anchor itself in the local community, creating impactful, co-created solutions.
This vision is set to bear even more fruit with an appeal to repurpose the old Grahamstown Railway Station as an educational and business-focused centre for innovation, economic development, and social inclusion. This proposal, which was recently shared with Transnet, aims to transform the defunct station into a vibrant social and economic meeting place offering education, community engagement, and business development opportunities. This would facilitate knowledge and information flows between the University, community, and business sectors, providing access to university-level and accredited study programmes for personal and small business development.
These initiatives support Rhodes University’s commitment to being a cornerstone of its local community, fostering shared solutions that have a meaningful impact on the city. With so much support for the Masakhe Programme and many other economic development initiatives underway, it can only be a matter of time before Makhanda becomes a thriving, comfortable city for all who choose to call it home. And to quote Zono, “…extend greetings in the beautiful name of community engagement and Ubuntu.”
This article was first published by the Rhodes University Communication Division.
