Cape Town - Stellenbosch University (SU) announced the untimely death of its council chairperson and alumnus, Ainsley Moos.
The announcement was made on Wednesday.
The SU rector and vice-chancellor Professor Wim de Villiers said: “Not only has the university lost an extremely talented council chairperson, but a valued and loyal friend.”
A family statement confirmed Moos had died unexpectedly on Tuesday evening due to complications following anaesthetic for a minor procedure on his mouth at a Day Clinic in Stellenbosch.
Moos turned 45 on January 15.
Solemn tributes have been streaming in for the astute academic, former journalist and editor of Volksblad, Landbou we week blad and Sake24, and an accomplished businessman.
“This is a huge shock to the university community, and it comes – to say the least – at a time when the university has depended heavily on his management expertise and his proven experience as a communications specialist, but also in terms of his skills as manager of stakeholder relations in the corporate world.
“His support to me personally was inspirational. Matieland has indeed lost a great friend. His family and loved ones are in our thoughts at this sad time,” De Villiers said.
Moos served on the council since 2014. He was elected deputy chairperson in 2018, and began his term as chairperson on December 3, 2021.
He also occupied many other positions including chair of the Council’s Remuneration Committee, a member of the Executive Committee and Human Resources Committee.
Moos was also Executive: Corporate and Stakeholder Relations at African Rainbow Capital.
Deputy chair of Council, Dr Nicky Newton-King said: “Ainsley was passionate about SU and the role the university, its staff and students should play both in the country and on the global stage and he worked hard to share this vision.
“His humility and calm leadership stood the council in good stead as it dealt with a series of critical challenges in the past year. The university has been so lucky to have counted Ainsley among its leaders at this crucial time in its history.”
shakirah.thebus@inl.co.za