Dr Rethabile Possa
BA MA Lesotho PhD Unisa
Dr Rethabile Possa-Mogoera holds various esteemed roles at the University of Cape Town, including being a Senate member, Head of African Languages and Literatures, Senior lecturer, and Student Registration Advisor for the Faculty of Humanities. Her commitment to activism is evident through her involvement in the Gender Based Violence Tribunal as a staff assessor at UCT. She also serves as a Sesotho editor for the AVBOB poetry competition and is recognized internationally as a keynote speaker for academic forums.
Dr. Possa-Mogoera is an accomplished author with various academic publications, including poetry, drama, and novels. Additionally, she served as a translator for the Department of National Libraries in South Africa, where she translates classical books into African Languages. Her impressive leadership roles include being the Deputy Chair of the Southern African Folklore Society (SAFOS), the Elected Coordinator of the African Languages Association of Southern Africa (ALASA), and the Deputy Secretary of the Names Society of Southern Africa (NSSA).
With a strong background in African literature, particularly Sesotho language, she actively contributes to the modernization of spoken language and written text, promoting African Languages. Dr. Possa-Mogoera excels in Sesotho communication teaching, translation, editing, and writing.
Beyond her academic achievements, she demonstrates exceptional leadership skills, serving as a non-executive and executive member on external boards. One of her passions is empowering women in various spaces, acting as a mentor, motivational speaker, and author on gender-based violence. Dr. Possa-Mogoera also leads a project funded by NIHSS, aiming to create a Sesotho textbook for higher education, while also supporting early career scholars and fostering a community of scholars producing scientific texts in Sesotho, promoting its intellectualization, and decolonizing the curriculum. The project is interdisciplinary, covering areas such as history, law, health, linguistics, and literature. The approach aligns with the National Language Policy, cooperating and sharing responsibilities with SADC member states to accelerate language development. The contributors to the project include researchers, authors, and four PhD candidates at different stages of their careers. The aim of the project is to produce a textbook in Sesotho for teaching and learning of Sesotho in higher education.
Objectives
- To support early career scholars in writing for publication in Sesotho
- To create a community of scholars who produce scientific texts in Sesotho
- To promote intellectualization of Sesotho
- To decolonize the curriculum
Office: AC Jordan 226