Rhodes honour for Grootboom

RHODES University will next week honour retired Xhosa news anchor Noxolo Grootboom with an honorary doctorate.

Rhodes University announced yesterday it will confer a Doctor of Letters (D Litt) (honoris causa) degree on Grootboom at its second virtual graduation ceremony for Master’s and PhD students on October 29. Grootboom is recognised nationally for her promotion of national pride and culture through her journalistic career, which spanned 37 years.

“Our nation owes her an unpayable debt of gratitude, and appreciation for all that she has done to give muchneeded hope to many South Africans in times of national loss and despair and for being a passionate advocate of the Xhosa language in our society,” Rhodes University vice-chancellor Dr Sizwe Mabizela said.

Mabizela added the university thought it was important to acknowledge Grootboom’s contributions to South African society.

“Her trademark sign-off line ‘Nanga ngobubusuku ningalala nombethe ingubo yemvisiswano, uxolo, nothando. Ndinithanda nonke emakhaya’ will remain her profound and lasting gift of love, peace and care to our nation. Her humility and humanity is something that will never be forgotten. She deserves this highest honour of the university,” Mabizela said.

Grootboom was born in 1960 in Cacadu (formerly Lady Frere) in the Eastern Cape.

In 1981, the future news anchor moved with her siblings to Soweto, where she enrolled for a computer

course at a computer academy, and joined the SABC as a typist on December 1, 1983.

After spending three years in the job, she was appointed as a production assistant and received mentorship from senior journalists, as she was interested in storytelling. Grootboom would then serve as a current affairs producer and a field journalist, and later became a news anchor.

Grootboom’s big break came when she was asked to stand in for the late Thandi Mesetywa and read a bulletin – and the SABC was impressed enough to ask her to continue to anchor the Xhosa news.

During her career, she was tasked with anchoring live funeral broadcasts of prominent leaders in the country including Chris Hani, the PAC’s Sabelo Phama, Nelson Mandela, Winnie Madikizela Mandela, Joe Slovo, Oliver Tambo, Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, Walter Sisulu, Albertina Sisulu, Govan Mbeki and Steve Tshwete.

“I feel so speechless; I am out of words to thank Rhodes University for the honour bestowed on me. Each event of my life is a life lesson that cannot be merely explained.

“... I had minimal opportunities to further my studies, (and) it seemed as if my dreams about my future were perishing. Today, Rhodes University teaches me that hope is always ignited when it seems as though your dreams are perishing. And when that hope is ignited, it leads you to a new dream. Today, I feel like I am a living example to the youth. This is because, when you devote yourself to your work, new opportunities open up,” Grootboom said.

After 37 years of public broadcast service, 3 832 686 people tuned in hear Grootboom say “Ndinithanda nonke emakhaya” (‘I love you all at home’) one last time as she read her last bulletin on March 30.