NWU Vaal awards Chancellor’s Medal to sporting

VANDERBIJLPARK. – A sporting legend was recently the subject of a signal honour.
The prestigious Chancellor’s Medal was awarded to Kaizer Motaung by the Vaal Triangle Campus of the North-West University, NWU Vaal.
The award was presented during the final session of the Autumn Graduation Ceremony at the Quest Conference Estate.
The Chancellor’s Medal is the highest accolade to be awarded to a non-academic member outside the university.
In the case of Motaung – a former South African football player and founder of Kaizer Chiefs Football Club of which he is chairman and managing director – the Chancellor’s Medal was awarded in recognition of Motaung as the creator of a global sports empire, and for the prolific role he played in shaping the professional football industry of South Africa.
From his humble roots to his sporting empire, Motaung remains one of South Africa’s most respected and influential sons.
As a professional footballer, an administrator, businessman and entrepreneur, he has inspired generations of South Africans and is a living example of great leadership within the South African context.
According to Rector Professor Thanyani Mariba, the award furthermore honours the longstanding relationship between Motaung and the campus.
The campus and the Kaizer Chiefs Football Club enjoys a unique partnership that sees the North-West University availing its expertise to benefit young talented footballers at the club’s Youth Academy in Johannesburg.
Academic expertise and knowledge are utilised to develop young football players in totality, and by doing so prepare them for life after their professional football careers.
Another outcome of the collaboration between the two parties is the Kaizer Chiefs Innovation Centre, which is set to be launched later in the year.
The Innovation Centre will be on the campus and represents a first-of-its-kind within the higher education sector.
Through this centre, supporters will be able to experience the Kaizer Chiefs brand first-hand, while graduate students and researchers will engage in research pertaining to disciplines such as Sport Management, Sport Science and Sport Psychology.
Kaizer Motaung is more than a leader: he is an extraordinary individual who has not only inspired but also enhanced the quality of life of generations of South Africans,” said the rector.
“I feel deeply honoured to have received the Chancellor’s Medal from the Vaal Triangle Campus of the North-West University. We as Kaizer Chiefs Football Club work closely together with the university when it comes to Sports Science, and we tap into their resources for academic opportunities.
“We are also very excited about the soon-to-be launched Kaizer Chiefs Innovation Centre, which will be based on the Vaal Triangle Campus.“Our Kaizer Chiefs Youth Development Academy staff will complete a certificate course at the Campus called ‘Holistic Development in Youth Football,” concluded Motaung.