Great Texts/Big Questions: Nomfundo Walaza
Walaza’s lecture will look at the psychological impact of the TRC, as well as the psychological implications of the Rhodes Must Fall and Fees Must Fall Movements. In addition, Walaza probes what lessons are to be learnt from the TRC and, how these can influence university/national strategies so that discussions around reconciliation are cognisant of the fact that without redress, reconciliation is impossible. As UCT's IRTC unfolds, how do we deal with the material realities of tuition fees, economic inequalities etc?
Nomfundo Walaza is Executive Director of PeaceSystems, a civil society
organisation that supports the development of sustainable institutions and systems that prevent, manage and resolve conflict in African societies. Walaza was Chief Executive Officer of the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre from 2007–2013, and Executive Director of the Trauma Centre for Survivors of Violence and Torture from 1996–2005. Professionally, Walaza is a clinical psychologist with over 20 years’ experience in trauma management, peace building, and conflict mediation and transformation. She is a dialogues facilitator and played an integral role in the mediation processes during the 2016 students protests at UCT. Having worked closely with South Africa’s TRC, and provided psychological services to the victims and survivors who appeared before its hearings, she brings a wealth of reflection and experience to this topic.
Listen to the podcast here.
The lecture, followed by an open question and answer session, will take place from 6–7:30pm on Tuesday 25 April 2017 in the Anatomy Lecture Theatre, Old Medical School Building, UCT Hiddingh Campus, 31 – 37 Orange Street, Cape Town.
Refreshments will be served from 5:30pm. RSVP at ica@uct.ac.za
For more information, please contact ica@uct.ac.za, or Sascha Polkey at Rabbit in a Hat Communications: sascha@rabbitinahat.co.za | 021 300 0052.
About the ICA’s focus on the TRC
From 14 March to 25 April the Great Texts/Big Questions lecture series focuses on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission – its vision, successes, failures and public perceptions then and now. UCT's Institutional Reconciliation and Transformation Commission (IRTC), which recently set up its steering committee, will look into the Shackville protests that occurred on UCT’s Upper Campus in February 2016, as well as make recommendations for addressing underlying issues of institutionalised racism and sexism; transformation; decolonisation and discrimination. It is intended that the analysis of South Africa's TRC in this series – offered by five different speakers from varied perspectives – will provide content for thinking about UCT’s IRTC