Massive state capture activity is taking place in the South African water sector under the guise of radical economic transformation, threatening financial sustainability and water supply.
South Africa needs take a radically different path if it is going to make its economy more inclusive. It must start from the premise that markets are intrinsically skewed to historic privilege.
University “transformation” has a unique meaning in South Africa.
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South Africa’s Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan spoke of protecting the economy from predators. This is commendable but not enough to build an inclusive economy.
Critical dialogue could help South African universities get back on their feet.
Ian Barbour/Flickr
When students are genuinely listened to and understood, and their proposed solutions to problems are taken seriously, real change can happen in university faculties.
Universities are so busy trying to make ends meet that there’s no time to listen to their communities’ stories. It’s crucial to develop safe spaces where tough conversations can happen.
Ancient fermentation techniques are an example of African chemistry in action.
James Akena/Reuters
Knowledge is power. If you own it, you can control those without it. Since so much knowledge about Africa doesn’t sit on the continent, it’s apparent that Africa lacks power in this regard.
Decolonising the curriculum is far more nuanced than replacing theorists and authors. Universities first need to define how they approach the development and dissemination of curricula.
For law faculties, the transformative vision embodied in South Africa’s constitution provides a potent driver for change. So what does a transformed law faculty look like?
Modern, transformative university leaders invite and really listen to all perspectives.
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In future, universities will only survive if they can produce knowledge fast and innovate. This will require transformational leadership that gets everyone involved.
Judge Thokozile Masipa during Oscar Pistorius’ trial in the High Court.
EPA/Kim Ludrook
The debate about the quality of High Court judges after the Pistorius trials reflects a different cultural clash in South Africa – one in which incompetence is often associated with black people.
A statue of colonialist and mining boss Cecil Rhodes is removed from the University of Cape Town. How can we best measure how higher education is being transformed?
Reuters/Mike Hutchings
Universities need to change to become more equitable learning spaces. But what’s the best way to measure their transformation, identify gaps and emphasise successes?
A Springbok fan cheers before the Rugby World Cup quarter-final match between South Africa and Australia at the Wellington Regional Stadium in 2011.
Reuters/Mike Hutchings
When South Africa won the Rugby World Cup in 1995 the country felt invincible and united. Twenty years later it is going through a tumultuous time which is even affecting its attitude to the Springboks.
A statue of colonialist Cecil John Rhodes is removed from the University of Cape Town after student protests. Could real transformation come through changing governance structures?
Nic Bothma/EPA
How can the higher education sector guard against proposed transformation measures being merely superficial quick fixes? At least part of the answer may lie in institutional governance.
White men still rule South Africa’s corporate landscape.
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White males still dominate South Africa’s boardrooms 17 years after legislation was passed to foster the inclusion of black executives and women. Companies have not yet embraced employment equity.
Young academics need a strong, properly structured support system to climb the ranks and one day become professors.
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There are compelling educational reasons to employ more black academics in universities and to give them all the support they’ll need to become professors.
Universities need to take a long, hard look at themselves - and listen to their students - to tackle issues of failure and attrition.
Mike Hutchings/Reuters
Universities largely fail to acknowledge the way their modes of teaching and learning are culturally, socially and politically embedded. Can this be fixed?
Protesters carry placards as they take part in a recent service delivery protest in Sebokeng, south of Johannesburg.
Reuters/Siphiwe Sibeko
Protests in South Africa against a lack of services, such as water and electricity, reached unprecedented levels in 2014. Many have been accompanied by violence and destruction of property.
Director of Centre for Postgraduate Studies, Rhodes University & Visiting Research Professor in Center for International Higher Education, Boston College, Rhodes University
Associate Professor of Higher Education Studies. Head of Department of the Centre for Higher Education, Research, Teaching and Learning, Rhodes University