Memorial for Professor John Daniel

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Family, friends and colleagues attended a College of Humanities memorial celebration at the Howard College Theatre to pay tribute to the life of the late Professor John Daniel. 

Daniel was a former Head of Department of Political Science at the University of Durban-Westville and an alumnus of the University of Natal where he received his undergraduate degree in Political Science in 1964.  

He also worked as a Senior Researcher responsible for documenting the South African state's gross human rights violations outside South Africa thereafter joining the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) as a researcher and then as an Academic Director for the School for International Training (SIT).  

Speaking at the event, UKZN’s Professor Donal McCracken described Daniel as having a profound sense of community and that he was dearly loved and would never be forgotten.  

Daniel’s friend and former colleague Mr Dan Swanson spoke fondly of his time with Daniel over the years in Swaziland where Daniel had managed to open a bookshop and had collected numerous prized books. Jokingly, Swanson added, ‘He might have had a dishevelled appearance most of the time but he was very organised and somehow ended up owning a bookshop.’ 

UKZN’s Professor Lindy Stiebel spoke highly of Daniel during his years as a beloved editor of the Transformation Journal. ‘He was always championing new writers and made a big contribution to the Transformation Journal. In Transformation 85, we will have a special feature on John Daniel to celebrate his life and all that he did.’ 

Ms Karen Bruns, who worked with Daniel at the HSRC, spoke highly of his time at the Council, stating that Daniel had embraced the task of publishing and was dedicated to growing a new cadre of academics. With a smile on her face, she said, ‘John loved to chair editorial board meetings and we were sad to see him go into retirement but we still kept in contact. He had such a wicked sense of humour and a booming voice - you could always expect to have a hefty jovial slap on the back.’ 

Daniel’s former colleague at the Department of Political Science at University of Durban-Westville, Mr Kiru Naidoo, described Daniel as someone who had an ‘enormous generosity of heart and spirit’ and was able to tell the story of South Africa’s freedom without embellishments. 

‘John was the consummate example of what we all strive for, but seldom attain,’ noted Daniel’s successor as SIT director, Mr Imraan Buccus – also a former student of Daniel’s at UDW. Buccus shared his fondest memories of Daniel during their trip to the US, before Daniel was diagnosed with cancer. ‘It is painful to pack away his stuff in his old office at the School for International Training. But looking back, he was a man that embodied an unwavering passion for teaching and his students.’ 

A former student of Daniel’s, Mr Christian De Vos, stated that it was a privilege to write his thesis under Daniel’s supervision. ‘It was a rare and unique opportunity for me to meet John and he was the first person who looked at my thesis and honestly said it was of publishable quality. He just knew how to encourage students. I was inspired by him. I knew John as a teacher and then as a mentor and finally as a good friend.’ 

Deputy Vice Chancellor and Head of the College of Humanities Professor Cheryl Potgieter shared messages of condolences and heart-felt tributes from some of Daniel’s close colleagues including Professor Adam Habib, Professor Imraan Valodia, Professor Peter Vale and Professor Ronaldo Munck.  

Daniel’s daughter Ms Lesley Connolly thanked the University and the College of Humanities for hosting a touching and fitting memorial for her father stating: ‘I am humbled by the messages and tributes that have come through for my father and it’s wonderful to know that he was and still is cherished by all those who knew him.’

Melissa Mungroo