11 August 2017 Volume :5 Issue :38

Conundrum of Transformation in SA Universities

From left: Executive Director of NAAAS, Dr Lemuel Berry Jnr; Dr Gaydelle Lang of the Texas Southern University, and UKZN’s Professor Stephen Mutula.

The National Association of African American Studies and Affiliates (NAAAS) in the United States of America, in partnership with UKZN’s College of Humanities, hosted an international research congress in Durban on humanities, education, business, sciences and exploratory studies.

Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UKZN’s College of Humanities, Professor Stephen Mutula, delivered a keynote address on: “The Conundrum of Transformation in South African Universities”.

Mutula unravelled the concept of transformation based on the 1955 Freedom Charter, the post-1994 Constitution and the Employment Equity Act, 1998. He noted that the spirit of these documents has not largely been realised because racial inequality, corruption, unemployment, racism and the high cost of living remain of great concern for the people of South Africa. Mutula said - citing some of the achievements the University had made in this area - that UKZN was considered a leader in transformation among South African universities.

Mutula acknowledged the Executive Director of NAAAS, Dr Lemuel Berry, Jnr, a founding member of the organisation, for ‘bringing together delegates from different parts of the world’ to the Congress in Durban.  He encouraged NAAAS affiliates to forge partnerships with UKZN in research, teaching and learning and engagement.

The Conference was co-hosted by UKZN, NAAAS, the Management College of Southern Africa, Regent Business School, the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education, the KwaZulu-Natal Sharks Board, the Maritime Centre of Excellence and Mangosuthu University of Technology.

*NAAAS is a resource for scholars in the field who desire information and support for research related to the African and African American, Hispanic, Latino (a) and Chicano (a), Native American and Asian experiences. An overarching goal of the organisation is providing faculties and students opportunities to engage in scholarly endeavours.

Raylene Captain-Hasthibeer

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