On 25 May 1963, Africa made history with the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU), the precursor to the African Union (AU).
This day, now known as Africa Day, celebrates and acknowledges the successes of the OAU (now the AU) since its creation in the fight against colonialism and apartheid. It also celebrates the progress that Africa has made, while reflecting upon the common challenges that the continent faces in a global environment.
Keeping up this tradition, the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Mahikeng held its annual Africa Day celebrations on 16 May 2019.
Dr Mamphela Ramphele, one of South Africa’s leading public intellectuals and former vice-chancellor of the University of Cape Town (UCT), delivered a public lecture, honouring a “forgotten hometown hero” - Mme Winnie Motlalepula Kgware.
In attendance was the NWU vice-chancellor, Prof Dan Kgwadi, the university executive management, the Kgware family, as well as notable dignaries, including former presidency director-general Advocate Mojanku Gumbi and the president of the Azanian People’s Organisation (AZAPO), Strike Thokoane.
Mme Kgware was born in Thaba Nchu in the Free State on 27 October 1917. As a teacher by profession and resident at the University of the North (Turfloop), she became the first president of the Black People’s Convention (BPC). The BPC was formed in 1972 as an umbrella body of the black consciousness movement, led by Steve Biko.
Calling Mme Kgware a true model of feminine leadership, Dr Ramphele centred her address around various themes. These included what we think emancipation is and how Mme Kgware modelled this; Africa our mother continent on Africa Day – how to leverage its ancient wisdom and young population to reposition ourselves; and how do we in Africa emerge from the climate emergency the global community faces.
In delivering her closing remarks, Dr Ramphele invited those present to recommit to healing our bodies, minds and souls as acts of honouring our ancestors. She further invited them to link hands as citizens, to become instruments of emancipation, and to free the human spirit to celebrate the beauty of complementary human relationships.
“This would be the greatest tribute we could pay to Mme Kgware, the strong female leader who dedicated many of her 81 years on this earth to leading both men and women by example,” she concluded.
More about the speaker
Dr Mamphela Ramphele has had a celebrated career as an activist, medical doctor, academic, businesswoman and political thinker.
She received her Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) from the University of Natal. In 1991 she received her PhD in social anthropology from the University of Cape Town.
Dr Ramphele was appointed as vice-chancellor of UCT in September 1996. In 2000, she became one of the four managing directors of the World Bank, the first South African to hold this position. She has also authored and edited a number of books.
Dr Ramphele has received numerous national and international awards, acknowledging her scholarship and the leading role she played in spearheading projects for marginalised people in South Africa and elsewhere.
From left are Prof Dan Kgwadi, NWU vice-chancellor, Dr Mamphele Ramphele, celebrated activist, academic and business woman, Tebogo Kgware, representing the Kgware family, and Advocate Mojanku Gumbi, former presidency director-general.
During the celebrations, Dr Mamphele Ramphele also took time to visit the Steve Biko postgraduate residence on the NWU’s campus in Mahikeng.
