The Rhodes University council has elected Rhodes alumnus Vuyo Kahla its new and first black chairperson, the Grahamstown-based university announced on Wednesday.

Kahla, who had served the university as a member of both its council and board of governors, took over from Judge Jos Jones, who stepped down on March 13, with Kahla’s duties starting immediately after the election at the council meeting that same day.

“Judge Jones has served Rhodes University as chairperson of [its] council with distinction and unwavering commitment to its sustainability as a world-class African university that’s responsive to its mandate and the needs of its community. I’m, therefore, most humbled by the trust and honour bestowed on me to succeed him.

“I’m counting on the collective wisdom of my council colleagues, academic and nonacademic staff and student leaders to ensure that we sustain the momentum of transformation and progress that’s characterised the era of Judge Jones and outgoing vice-chancellor Dr Saleem Badat’s leadership,” said Kahla.

Judge Jones served as the Rhodes University council chairperson for 18 years and noted that it had been an honour to chair the council, adding that he was proud to have been able to contribute to the institution.

Badat said it had been a pleasure to work with Judge Jones and that it had been a fantastic eight years of serving with him.

Rhodes University registrar Dr Stephen Fourie pointed out that Judge Jones had started as chairperson of the council at a very difficult time and that he had made an "incredible" contribution to the university.    

Speaking on behalf of the council, Fourie said he looked forward to Kahla’s contribution as chairperson, particularly as he led the process of selecting a new Rhodes University vice-chancellor to replace Badat.

“Kahla brings with him extensive leadership and global executive experience straddling the corporate and education sector,” said the university.

He is a member of petrochemicals giant Sasol’s group executive committee and holds the positions of advisory and assurance group executive, as well as company secretary. In this capacity, Kahla has global executive responsibility of Sasol’s legal services, compliance, intellectual property services, risk management, Sasol assurance services, company secretarial services and the company’s group ethics office.

Kahla is also a director of a number of Sasol group companies, including Sasol Mining, Sasol Petroleum International, Sasol Gas, Sasol Chemical Industries and Sasol Group Services.

Prior to joining Sasol, he was State-owned freight logistics group Transnet group executive: office of the group chief executive, having initially joined Transnet’s group executive committee in July 2004 as legal and risk group executive. 

In Kahla’s professional life he has held the positions of assistant legal advisor to late President Nelson Mandela, Department of Justice and Constitutional Development transformation and corporate strategy director, special adviser to former national director of public prosecution Bulelani Ngcuka, chief legal adviser to former Minister of Finance Trevor Manuel and Standard Bank Group’s Africa division corporate governance and legal services director. Kahla is also a member of South African Revenue Service’s audit committee.

His education sector contribution included being the council chairperson of St John’s College in Johannesburg. Following Kahla’s retirement in January as council of St John’s College chairperson, Bishop Steve Moreo of the Anglican Diocese of Johannesburg awarded Kahla the Bishop’s Medal for having “served both our society and the church well for many years”.

Kahla was also a member of the University of South Africa’s (Unisa’s) council and executive committee and chairperson of the Unisa audit and enterprise risk management committee, from which he retired in June 2013.

He holds a BA LLB from Rhodes University and, during his student days, held a number of leadership positions, including being the VP of the Students Representative Council and South African Student Congress chairperson.

Kahla is also an Abe Bailey Fellow, an alumnus of the Prince of Wales University of Cambridge Programme on Sustainability Leadership and has been recognised as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum.