Kingsley Holgate honoured at Golden Key ceremony

The Golden Key New Members Ceremony, where new and honorary members are inducted into the society, was held recently at The Mill, Church-on-Main, Wynberg.

Membership to the Golden Key International Honour Society is by invitation only. The society recognises academic excellence among the top 15 percent of academic achievers at tertiary institutions all around the world in its aim to develop academics, leadership and service. This year 528 UCT students joined the esteemed society.

Alongside students, honorary members are inducted each year. These individuals receive lifelong membership to the society for promoting Golden Key values. Three new honorary members were inducted into the society at this year's ceremony.

Well-known humanitarian and conservationist Kingsley Holgate, who was also the keynote speaker, was one of those inducted as an honorary member. He was also recognised for his humanitarian work in Africa.

Holgate was part of the expedition to find the heart of Africa. The co-ordinates of the exact centre of the continent were scientifically determined by the International Geographical Union and the Department of Environmental and Geographical Science at UCT.

The Kingsley Holgate Foundation has distributed almost 8 000 pairs of glasses to Africans with poor eyesight and approximately 5 000 LifeStraw water filters. Through Land Rover's corporate social responsibility initiative Hope Crosses Any Terrain (#HCAT), the foundation was also able to distribute 17 000 mosquito nets.

Holgate captivated the crowd with stories about some of the adventures he had while following in the footsteps of Livingstone and acknowledged the dedicated people who assisted them both on their adventures. He also shared his famous 'seven pebbles of life' story, urging everyone in the audience to live their lives to the full. 

Holgate was inducted along with Yusuf Kader, chairman of the Peninsula School Feeding Association (PSFA) for the past 22 years, for his dedication to helping hungry children across the Western Cape. Elmarie Yvonne 'Muffy' Miller, founder of Langbos Creche and Care Centre in Addo, Eastern Cape, was inducted for the 20 years of service she has dedicated to improving the lives of all community members in the Langbos Informal Settlement.

At the beginning of the year the UCT Golden Key 2015/2016 committee set a goal to raise R12 000 to feed a class of 30 school children through the PSFA. Through various fundraising events, the committee exceeded the goal and raised R13 300.

This was handed over to Charles Grey, the fundraising manager of the PSFA, at the ceremony.

Story Chido Mbambe. Photo Supplied.

Read the original article in the Varsity newspaper…