I also wish to congratulate you on your performance in Grade 12. Your achievement made it possible for you to gain admission to this University. You have made a sound choice, given the many opportunities that will be available to you here. The diversity of your cohort, across class, race, gender, province or country of origin, and language, is a clear reflection of the University’s commitment to the values espoused in the Preamble of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, which, among others, calls on all of us to:

• Heal the divisions of the past and establish a society based on democratic values, social justice, and fundamental human rights;
• Lay the foundations for a democratic and open society in which government is based on the will of the people and every citizen is protected by law;
• Improve on the quality of life of all citizens and free the potential of each person; and
• Build a united and democratic South Africa able to take its rightful place as a sovereign state in the family of nations.

As a student of this University, you are called upon to be deeply committed custodians of these constitutional values. As envisaged by the drafters of our Constitution in the 1990s, our students must be shaped and honed in the furnace of struggle for justice, equality and peace.

With your status as a registered student now confirmed, you are required to work even harder to pass all your modules. Please, remember that the road to greatness is paved with hard work, resilience and perseverance. As you embark on this journey, be assured that the University remains committed to providing all the necessary academic, psychosocial and related support to help you complete your qualification within the prescribed time. However, this support can only be meaningful if you are willing to put your shoulder to the wheel. Simply put, the ball is in your court. You are expected to:

1. Do your part by attending lectures, practicums, clinical sessions, and laboratory sessions consistently; and
2. Make regular use of the library to supplement what you are taught in lecture halls, laboratories, and clinical training platforms.

While academic success is critical, university life is also about having fun, personal growth, and the discovery of your talents. We encourage you to explore the rich and vibrant student life on our campus by participating in arts, cultural, sporting and academic extra-mural activities. Should you experience difficulty coping with your studies and/or life in general, please approach the relevant support units, including the Centre for Student Counselling and Development (you will hear people often say D-Block) as early as possible. Your health, wellness and overall wellbeing are a priority for the University.

We proceed from the premise that the University is a microcosm of the society in which it is located. While it is inherently a transformative agent of change, societal challenges inevitably find expression within the University. Simply put, students and staff we have did not fall from the sky – they are reproduced by the society within which the University is located.. In this context, the University adopts a zero-tolerance approach to gender-based violence and femicide. We urge you to remain vigilant, to report any perceived or real incidents to the Gender Desk without delay, and to actively participate in awareness campaigns on and off campus. You are called upon to be true ambassadors in the fight against this scourge and, in the words of a long-held principle, to be your “brothers’ and sisters’ keepers”.

The University is also proud to have the largest population of students living with disabilities. In support of this, the Reakgona Disability Centre provides all the requisite services to ensure that students feel at home and are able to succeed in both their academic and student life journeys.

In the spirit of nurturing responsible citizenship, we encourage you to speak out against all forms of injustice:

1. Speak out and support a fellow student in your residence, faculty or classroom who is struggling academically or socially;
2. Speak out when you see water being wasted;
3. Speak out when you see a fellow student littering your campus, and refusing to keep the campus clean;
4. Speak out when you see a fellow student peddling drugs or related substances on or off campus; and
5. Speak out when you see your fellow student perpetuating any form of violence.

In doing so, you will be living up to the values of the University and acting as a responsible citizen and true ambassador of your University.

With these few words, it gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the University of Limpopo community and to wish you the very best for the road ahead. Your path to greatness begins here and now.

May this be the opportunity through which you realise your long-held dreams. As the University, we remain ready to support you in achieving your dream.