Image: Shelley Christians"You are not just students, but human rights defenders, embodying the University of the Western Cape's (UWC) commitment to equality."
These words by Prof Maria Florence, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, served as a powerful reminder to students of the responsibility they carry as future community development practitioners.
The Faculty of Community and Health Sciences at UWC recently hosted its fourth oath-taking ceremony for the Bachelor of Community Development (BCD) second-year class of 2025.
This year marked the first ceremony held under the newly named Department of Social Service Professions, a reflection of the programme's evolving vision and stature.
The ceremony underscored UWC's enduring legacy of social justice, born of its resistance to apartheid and sustained through a commitment to transformative community engagement.
Image: Shelley ChristiansProf Florence emphasised that authentic development arises from within communities themselves: "Your role isn’t to impose solutions; it’s to uncover, nurture, and amplify intrinsic strengths."
She called on students to uphold ethics, professionalism and empathy, reminding them, with a quote from Nelson Mandela, that real influence comes not from titles but from service and sacrifice.
The ceremony marked a significant milestone for the second-year BCD students, celebrating their commitment to ethical practice and their role in shaping a more equitable society.
Prof Glynnis Dykes, Deputy Head of Department, opened the ceremony by welcoming attendees and acknowledging distinguished guests, including Deputy Minister of Social Development, Mogamad Ganief Hendricks, and Lionel Arnolds, Director of the Western Cape Department of Social Development.
Image: Shelley ChristiansShe highlighted the ceremony’s dual purpose: to celebrate students' progress and to reinforce the core values of ethics, leadership and professionalism.
Marquin Smith, BCD Programme Coordinator, connected the day’s proceedings to the 2025 Nelson Mandela Day theme: "It’s still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity."
He told students: "Today, you will declare in the presence of all of us that you believe in the collective responsibility for the well-being of society and the capacity of people to change and develop. Thus, it is indeed in our hands."
He also noted the broader national significance of the moment: "This year is also the year that we intensify, under the leadership of the National Department of Social Development, the finalisation of the professionalisation of community development practice in South Africa."
This sense of transformation was echoed by Kamogelo Kekana, a fourth-year BCD student currently completing practical training at a non-profit organisation in the Western Cape.
Reflecting on his own journey, Kekana admitted feeling uncertain at times about the future of the profession and his place in it, but noted that the transition from student to practitioner has enriched him both personally and professionally.
The Deputy Minister spoke of his personal connection to UWC and the University’s historic role in South Africa’s liberation movement. He recalled leaders such as former Vice-Chancellor Prof Jakes Gerwel and noted the alignment of the BCD oath-taking ceremony with the spirit of Mandela Day and its emphasis on justice and transformation.
Hendricks also expressed his hope that more students would graduate with BCD degrees to help foster self-reliance within communities.
Addressing pressing societal issues, Hendricks stressed the urgent need for young people to engage in combating Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).
He emphasised the severe long-term effects of GBVF on young people's mental and physical health, urging students to play an active role in addressing such issues at home and within their communities.
Arnolds closed the ceremony by challenging students to embody professionalism through action, integrity and service, referring to them as “builders of justice” and “custodians of human worth.”
He reminded them that their future work would be a living testament - a form of repayment for the societal debts left unpaid by others.
