After expressing his sadness at the news of his passing, North West Premier, Bushy Maape, stated that Kgwadi will be credited for guiding the North West University through the challenges of transformation. This after explaining that the provincial government now has a sound relationship working with the university because of Kgwadi’s efforts. Maape said the provincial government will continue to honour his legacy by working with the university to address the plight of students from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds.

“He grew up in a very poor community where there were no resources. But he was one of the few black academics who defied the odds and was passionate about physical science and mathematics from an early age. He obtained various scholarships to pursue his postgraduate studies in the United States of America. He led the university through a tumultuous period of transformation at institutions of higher learning in the country. I would like to take this opportunity and send my heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and colleagues,” he stated.

At the time of his passing, Kgwadi was the Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Vaal University of Technology. This after serving as Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the North-West University (NWU) from April 2014 to 31 January 2022.

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