Njengoko iYunivesithi iRhodes iqhuba umbhiyozo wayo weminyaka engama-120 (obizwa ngokuba yi-RU120), omnye umamkeli wesidanga sokunika imbeko sobuGqirhalwazi kule Yunivesithi, nowayesakuba ngumfundi weendaba ku-SABC nolitshantliziyo kwezenkcubeko uGqirhalwazi uNoxolo Grootboom, uvakalise ilizwi lakhe kwimpumelelo yeli phulo.
Emva kokupapashwa kwezibhengezo ze-RU120 ezithe zayimpumelelo koonomathotholo, oomabonakude, kwiibhodi zezaziso (billboards) kunye nemiqondiso kwisititshi seGautrain nezinye, ilizwi likaGqirhalwazi uGrootboom liza kuvakala kwintengiso yesiXhosa kanomathotholo ye-RU120 eza kusasazwa kuzwelonke ngeyeSilimela (June).
Phambi kokuqaliswa kwemibhiyozo uSekela-Ngqonyela (Vice-Chancellor) weYunivesithi iRhodes, uNjingalwazi uSizwe Mabizela, ukhuphe ikhwelo malunga ne-RU120 esithi linika “ithuba lokucingisisa ngobuchule kwaye sihlaziye ukukhula, uphuhliso nozinzo olusekelezwe kwizigqibo nezicwangciso zethu nokusebenza kwethu kunye nabaxhasi bethu.” Loo njongo igxininisa imisebenzi esele yenziwe nephawula lo mba ubalulekileyo kwimbali yale Yunivesithi.
Ngo-2021 ngexa iYunivesithi iRhodes yayinika uGqirhalwazi uGrootboom isidanga sobuGqirha kuNcwadi (D.Litt) (honoris causa) ngokukhuthaza ukuzingca nenkcubeko kwisizwe ngomsebenzi wakhe wobuNtatheli, uNjingalwazi uMabizela wagxininisa ifuthe elingenakucimeka analo uGqirhalwazi uGrootboom kwisizwe. “Iwonga lakhe livela kwicandelo losasazo nakuMzantsi Afrika uphela, ngokuthatha uxanduva lokuba enze umsebenzi ngendlela ethe yakhuthaza abemi abaninzi, nangamaxesha engxubakaxaka,” watsho uNjingalwazi uMabizela. “Ubuchule bakhe bokunxibelelana nabaphulaphuli bakhe ngolwimi lwakhe olunamandla noluthathwa kwinkcubeko yakhe lwenza uMam’ Noxolo akhetheke njengomele nothethela isizwe ngexesha lemisitho eyimbali esizweni.”
Bekufanelekile ukuba uGqr. Grootboom avakalise ilizwi lakhe kweli phulo elizama ukujonga ngemva ngeminyaka engama-120 yogqweso kwiYunivesithi iRhodes kwaye akhuthaze ukwabelana ngembali yeli ziko apho iinkokheli zifunda khona.
“IYunivesithi iRhodes liziko elihlonitshiweyo kwaye ukuwongwa lilo ngethuba bendinika isidanga sobugqirha yenye yemini ezibalulekileyo ebomini bam. Ukususela ngoko, iYunivesithi iye yandiwonga kwakhona ngomzobo oseludongeni lweSikolo sabo sobuNtatheli kunye neziFundo ze-Media.” Utshilo uGqr. Grootboom. “Ukunikela ngelizwi lam kweli phulo le-RU120 yinto engadingi kucingwa kum. Ndinemincili ukuba yinxalenye yombhiyozo weminyaka engama-120 yeYunivesithi yaseRhodes.”
Ngokulinganayo iYunivesithi iRhodes inewonga ngokuba noGqr. Grootboom njengomnye woonozakuzaku bayo kunye nobuso be-RU120.