For Women’s Day 2024 we are celebrating our UP women, starting with our TuksSport Olympic champion Tatjana Smith, née Schoenmaker, who graduated with her BCom Financial Sciences degree from our University in 2020. Smith is now South Africa’s most decorated woman Olympian, having won gold in the 100m breaststroke and silver in the 200m at the Paris Olympics, and silver and gold respectively in the same events four years ago at the Tokyo Olympics.

It took well over two decades of dedicated training and a very disciplined life to get here. She emphasised that time is life’s most valuable gift and urged us to use it wisely. She also advised women not to compare themselves with others, but to 'focus on being you, because that is life’s greatest victory, and, along the way, celebrate the amazing, unique you.'

Women are often very hard on themselves. I see this amongst many of our women students and staff. I see you putting Olympian effort into everything you do. Women have faced a history of inequality and you go all out to prove yourselves in what was, and in many cases still is, a male-dominated world. It is something women have always had to do.

As we all know, we are facing deep challenges in our country, including gender-based violence, which is of terrible concern. South African society across the board continues to be an unsafe space for women and girl children.

Our Chancellor, retired Justice Sisi Khampepe, a prominent legal eagle who is the titular head of the University of Pretoria, continues to promote the rights of women, and is leading this University by example. She insists that South Africa has a duty to prohibit all gender-based discrimination. As we celebrate Women’s Month, we applaud the work of many women, staff and students alike for intensifying the battle against gender inequality.

Every single student and staff member at our fine institution needs to play our part in leading the change to a healthy society, by being conscious, caring citizens. We all need to contribute to a society where women are respected; where girl children are raised to believe they can be anything they want to be; where women and children can feel safe and free; and where gender-based violence is no more.

Every time I walk around campus, I am filled with hope that we can achieve a healthy society. I see all our bright young students from every sector of society, our healthy demographic and gender ratio. The majority of our student population are women, and thus follows that the majority of our graduates are women.

UP is a flagship, a green light of possibility that no matter where you come from, you can become a graduate of this finest of universities. Every one of you is receiving the power and influence that goes with your education.

And so, on this Women’s Day, make a commitment to always pursue the UP tenets of excellence, perseverance, respect, creativity, kindness, growth, innovation and appreciation of diversity. Make a difference; Make Today Matter.

Happy Women’s Day and Women’s Month!