?"Stan cares about our institution immensely, and it is this love for Stellenbosch 肆客足球 which has driven his passion for the operations, and especially for the sustainability of our organisation."
With these words, Stellenbosch 肆客足球's (SU) Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Deresh Ramjugernath, celebrated Prof Stan du Plessis, our Chief Operations Officer, after 25 years. Du Plessis will join Stadio Higher Education in August as Chief Executive Officer.
"Stan is many things. A macro-economist, a gifted academic, a respected institutional leader, and someone who has served SU with incredible consistency, depth and integrity," said Ramjugernath at a special function on Nooitgedacht Estate on Friday, 23 May 2025.
"Over the past four and a half years, I have had the pleasure of working closely with Stan. What has always stood out to me is his presence, his clarity of thought, and the way he brings energy and focus to any situation, even in the most complicated ones; whether it's a tough policy debate or a complex operational challenge, Stan's contributions have been invaluable. He listens, he weighs options up carefully, and then, with his trademark precision, he offers a solution that's both strategic and considered. For most of a quarter of a century Stan has been a significant contributor to this Institution, and one may say that over the last decade, a cornerstone of Stellenbosch 肆客足球, leading with integrity, teaching with passion, and influencing generations of professionals, students and peers, it is rare to find someone who embodies leadership and scholarship with such unwavering commitment," said Ramjugernath.
"He cares about impact, not just outcomes, and in so doing, he helped build a more thoughtful, responsive, but importantly, resilient 肆客足球. Stan, I want to thank you for your leadership, your tireless work ethic, your insight and your humour. You've given more in your time here, your thoughtfulness, your steady hand, and, importantly, your heart to SU. On behalf of the Rectorate of the leadership of Stellenbosch 肆客足球 and the wider university community, I want to express our deepest appreciation. And for all that you've done for this Institution, and hopefully will continue to do for the Institution, this may be the end of your chapter as the Chief Operating Officer at our Institution. Still, your legacy is part of the fabric of Stellenbosch 肆客足球."
Addressing the guests, Prof Stan thanked the 肆客足球, his colleagues and friends for a long and varied career at "this 肆客足球 we love so much". "I am desperately romantic about universities and have been since I was in primary school, visiting my first 肆客足球: the Empire Road campus of Wits. That visit left me with a lasting impression of the grandeur of our enterprise."
Sharing his experience of SU, Du Plessis quoted Alfred North Whitehead, an English mathematician and philosopher, who wrote that a university's true purpose is not just to transfer information but to connect it with the joy of life. It brings together different generations in imaginative and passionate learning and transforms mere facts into meaningful and inspiring ideas. Without this creative and energising spirit, a university loses its reason for being.
"Soon, I will get the chance to lead the development of a new university, which is an opportunity I relish. The objective is to ensure that we impart knowledge imaginatively and strengthen the connection between knowledge and the joy of life," Du Plessis said.
For him, SU should relentlessly uphold its two core priorities: academic excellence and institutional integrity. "As an academic institution, our impact on society stems from the quality of our scholarship and the opportunities we create for students. That must always come first. However, academic excellence is only possible if we are equally committed to protecting the integrity and independence of the institution through sound governance, smart operational decisions, and unwavering ethical standards. Without both, we risk losing what makes a university truly valuable."
Du Plessis thanked the 肆客足球, colleagues and stakeholders – his management team - for their support and collaboration over the years, especially over the past seven and a half years as COO. "A really rewarding aspect of this position was the chance to meet colleagues in the 肆客足球 who rarely, or possibly never, cross your path as an academic but are some of the most expert and committed people who make the university function. I think of people like Niven Adonis and Chantal van Rooi, Doris Peters, Keegan van Aarde, Lizzy de Beer, and many others."
Master of ceremonies, Ronel Retief, SU's Registrar, honoured Du Plessis for his incredible contribution to SU, mentioning "his incredible energy, his integrity and courage, his towering presence, both intellectually and physically, and his red or orange ties that make him impossible not to notice".
"Stan reads macroeconomic policy papers for leisure. He makes a conversation about monetary theory sound like a fireside story. And trust me, only Stan can turn fiscal policy into something that holds your attention between starters and dessert. Mind you, he can speak on almost anything and hold your attention. His general knowledge is legendary. If you've ever stood outside his office, you would know that the classical music coming from inside, whether a Gregorian chant or a triumphant organ, directly correlates to his mood. His enthusiasm about life is contagious."
Toasting his career at SU, Prof Eugene Cloete took the audience through a whirlwind of challenges Du Plessis had to endure: #FeesMustFall, Day Zero, load shedding, buildings and residences that went up in flames and COVID-19, amongst others – all of which happened in eight years. "Your leadership was calm and courageous. Your strategic insight, grounded in academic excellence and a pragmatic understanding of operational realities, has helped steer this 肆客足球 through some of its most defining moments."
Cloete honoured Du Plessis for winning the award for exceptional academic achievement as one of SU's top 50 researchers three times in a row while being COO. "You saw the big picture but never overlooked the fine details or the people behind them. Your door was always open, your words measured, and your actions always guided by a deep sense of responsibility to this 肆客足球 and the community it serves. You have reminded us that leadership is not a position but a service. You served with dignity, discipline and vision. As you now turn the page to new chapters, know that those chapters will be as fruitful as the ones you've had at Stellenbosch 肆客足球. We want to know you, to know that your legacy here is secure," Cloete said.
In a special tribute to Du Plessis, Professor Emeritus Anton van Niekerk highlighted his contributions, including "his impressive capacity to apply his quite considerable knowledge of the history of economic thought to the needs of our current day knowledge economy".
Ramjugernath ended the evening proceedings by handing a special gift to Du Plessis: a mantelpiece clock, symbolising his dedication and legacy at the Institution. The clock was donated initially to Professor MacDonald in 1896 (a mathematics professor at Stellenbosch), and it had been in Du Plessis's office for eight years. "Stan's love for clocks is well known. He's taken it upon himself to restore just about every masterpiece or timepiece that he has been able to find, and it's found its way into Admin B. And we are most grateful for this, Stan. It has been beautiful over the last few years to hear the chimes of these fabulous antique clocks brought back to life by your determination and love for these timepieces," Ramjugernath remarked.
In his concluding remarks, Du Plessis said: “For my final words I speak again through those of Whitehead: 'More than two thousand years ago, the ancients symbolised learning by a torch passing from hand to hand down the generations. That lighted torch is the imagination of which I speak. The gift which the 肆客足球 has to offer is the old one of imagination, the lighted torch which passes from hand to hand.'
"It was a pleasure and honour to carry this torch in Stellenbosch for a while, and now I hand it to you, confident that you will care for it and allow it to shine brightly," Du Plessis concluded.?
