Retired Constitutional Court Judge Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga has been officially installed as Rhodes University Chancellor during a graduation ceremony.

Justice Madlanga, who is a Rhodes alumnus, succeeds another Rhodes alumnus, retired President of the Supreme Court of Appeal, Lex Mpati.

Madlanga is currently heading the Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Criminality, Political Interference, and Corruption in the Criminal Justice System.

He becomes the 8th Chancellor of  Rhodes University.

Madlanga completed his LLB Degree at Rhodes University in 1986 and later worked as a law lecturer at the former University of Transkei.

He also served in various court divisions under different roles.

Most notably in his law career, was his appointment as a Constitutional Court Judge in 2013.

At the time of his retirement from the apex court, earlier this year, he was the Acting Deputy Chief Justice.

Now he returns to the university, where he obtained his law degree, under a new role.

Justice Madlanga is ready to serve in his new role.

“I would love for Rhodes University to maintain what it has been doing or perhaps to do even more, to be reachable, accessible, not only those in its surroundings; but even further. My focus in this regard, being the disadvantaged if there was one would not like to see talented denied access to education because of circumstance,” adds Madlanga.

Our Spring Graduation might be smaller than our Autumn’s, but this one had BIG highlights:

• Justice Madlanga began his role as our new Chancellor;
• Dr Sanet Steenkamp, Namibia’s Minister of Education, got her doctorate; and
• Dr Franklin Larey was honoured for his lifetime… pic.twitter.com/o6EXw0vAaR

— Rhodes University (@Rhodes_Uni) October 10, 2025

Rhodes University Vice-Chancellor, Dr Sizwe Mabizela, described Madlanga’s appointment as a homecoming.

Mabizela says Madlanga embodies the values of the institution

“So we are excited. It’s a fresh beginning, it’s a new beginning. He will build on a very strong foundation of the one created by his predecessors, but he will also chart his own cause.”

Meanwhile, the university conferred an Honorary Doctorate in Music, to renowned South African concert pianist, Professor Franklin Larey.

Larey is known for his outstanding contributions to music education, performance and advocacy in South Africa and abroad.

Prof Larey see it as an honour to be recognised by the university.

“For me it’s an honour to receive the recognition. This recognition for the work that I do, the work that I have done. I’m immensely proud of my contribution to music education and classical music in South Africa.”

“My message to everybody is to make this kind of education or any education accessible to everybody, to be grounded in issues of social justice, equity and opportunity for the very many, many young kids out there – that can and should be given the opportunity to develop their talents.”