How can a bicycle change a life?

In a rural South African village, learners were waking at 4 a.m. just to reach school by 8 a.m. Exhausted before lessons even began, making it difficult for them to fully engage in their studies. Through a partnership led by the University of Johannesburg, bicycles were distributed to Grade 11 learners, alongside the creation of a community learning centre, helping pass rates rise from 54% to over 94%.

This is ubuntu in action.

In Episode 2 of The Leadership Atlas, we speak with Professor Letlhokwa George Mpedi, Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Johannesburg, a legal scholar, author and advocate for ethical, values-driven leadership. His writing on ubuntu and societal impact explores how African philosophy can shape modern institutions in meaningful and practical ways.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Professor Mpedi reflects on ubuntu, the belief that our humanity and purpose are realised through our relationships with others, and how this philosophy shapes leadership at UJ.

He shares powerful examples of community partnership, discusses the responsibility universities hold in rebuilding trust and advancing sustainability, and reflects on lessons drawn from his book From Predator to Prey, where leadership insights are observed in the African wild.

This episode is a compelling conversation about leadership as responsibility, stewardship, and collective purpose, a reminder that universities can change lives far beyond their campuses.