Academic Opening Ceremony

This year’s Opening Ceremony took place 17 January 2022 at the KwaMhlanga Campus where Dr Anton Knoetze, pastor of the Dutch Reformed Church of Secunda, addressed the entire Mukhanyo staff. He emphasised the need to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2).

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Now more than ever is the time, said Dr Knoetze, to preach and teach the Word of God. Mukhanyo should once again be doing this in 2022 because the Word is the tool God gave the Church to change the world: “Never underestimate the power of God’s Word!”

Dr Brian DeVries, our Principal, also addressed the staff. He welcomed everyone back from holiday and reported on stable finances that enabled modest salary increases for 2022, the appointment of a few new part-time and full-time staff members, and our plans for continued growth in the quality of our study material.

Rev. Isaac Maleke, our Dean of Students, told the meeting that many students come with very little knowledge of the Bible, are often still strongly influenced by traditional religion, and thus need biblical counselling and patient mentoring by our lecturers.

During the Opening Ceremony, the lecturers and other leading staff members signed Mukhanyo’s Statement of Faith, publically affirming the Reformed Solas and their confessional tradition of either the Three Forms of Unity, or the Westminster Standards, or the London 1689 Confession of Faith.

Mukhanyo is humbled and thankful to God that the ministry can continue in the new year, while also being fully aware of growing challenges in our society.

We know that 2022 will not be without challenges, but we trust the Lord to provide for every need of the college. We were reminded again of this fact on 4 February when an enormous rainstorm flooded the surrounding area, resulting in Mukhanyo’s low-laying offices and the boardroom being flooded. Damage was limited but the offices with carpeting needed complete cleaning and did not smell nice for a few days.