Honoured by President Cyril Ramaphosa during the National Orders ceremony, Professor Vukosi Marivate was recognised for his excellence in the field of artificial intelligence.
As South Africa honoured some of its most influential thinkers, artists and innovators in the 2026 National Orders ceremony, two academics from the University of Pretoria (UP) were celebrated as symbols of a country increasingly shaped by both technological innovation and creative imagination.
At the official ceremony in Pretoria on Tuesday, President Cyril Ramaphosa praised recipients for their contributions to democracy, social progress, culture and knowledge production, describing them as individuals helping to strengthen the foundations of the nation.
“Today we honour men and women who have lifted to the sky our greatest aspiration: to build a democratic South Africa founded on equality, justice and dignity for all,” he said.
Among the recipients were UP Professor of Computer Science Vukosi Marivate, who received the Order of Mapungubwe in Silver for his contribution to artificial intelligence and computer science, and performance artist and UP Drama Department lecturer Mr Gavin Krastin, who received the Order of Ikhamanga in Bronze for his contribution to the arts.
