The Fabric of Dissent: Public Intellectuals in South Africa

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The Fabric of Dissent

Public Intellectuals in South Africa

Edited by: Narnia Bohler-Muller , Gregory Houston and Vasu Reddy

Language: English

Published/Copyright: 2021

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About this book

What are public intellectuals? What is their role in social, cultural, political, and academic contexts? What compels them to put forward their ideas? The rich tapestry created in The Fabric of Dissent helps to answer these questions. Offering concise portraits of some seventy-five influential South African public intellectuals, past and present, the book not only showcases an astonishing array of achievements, but also explores the context, influences, and unique tensions shaping each individual’s life and bears testimony to their continuing relevance.

Topics

History Regional and National History Africa

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	iii
Acknowledgements Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Acronyms and abbreviations Publicly Available Download PDF	viii
1 Intellectual liberation: Public intellectuals in South Africa Vasu Reddy, Maxi Schoeman, Heather Thuynsma, Narnia Bohler-Muller and Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	1
Part 1: Political Public Intellectuals
Introduction Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	19
2 Charlotte Maxeke: Mother of black freedom in South Africa Narnia Bohler-Muller Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	23
3 Pixley ka Isaka Seme: African unity against racism Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	28
4 Albert Luthuli: The prototypical leader Ngqapheli Mchunu Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	33
5 Dora Tamana: ‘We have opened the way for you’ Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	38
6 Bram Fischer: A defiant Afrikaner Joleen Steyn Kotze Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	43
7 Govan Mbeki: What role for the peasants? Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	49
8 Walter Sisulu: Isitwalandwe/Seaparankoe Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	54
9 Oliver Tambo: The glue that holds us together Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	59
10 Ruth First: Iconic political journalist Gavaza Maluleke Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	67
11 Nelson Mandela: ‘The Troublemaker’ Narnia Bohler-Muller Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	71
12 Joe Slovo: Public enemy number one Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	76
13 George Bizos: A passion for justice Gary Pienaar Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	83
14 Ben Turok: An exiled democrat Narnia Bohler-Muller Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	89
15 Phyllis Naidoo: Yearning for justice Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	95
16 Ahmed Kathrada: A life committed to the struggle Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	100
17 Arthur Chaskalson: Leading the way Narnia Bohler-Muller Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	105
18 Albie Sachs: A constitutional revolutionary Narnia Bohler-Muller Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	109
19 A.P. Mda: The Africanist giant Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	114
20 Robert Sobukwe: Founding president Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	119
21 Cissie Gool: The Joan of Arc of District Six Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	126
22 Monty Naicker: Passive resister Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	130
23 Bishop Trevor Huddleston: Naught for your comfort Gary Pienaar Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	135
24 Beyers Naudé: The compassionate dissident Afrikaner Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	142
25 Helen Suzman: A lone voice for liberty Gary Pienaar Pienaar Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	147
Part 2: Cultural Public Intellectuals
Introduction Maxi Schoeman, Heather Thuynsma and Vasu Reddy Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	155
26 Olive Schreiner: The story of an African giant Michael Cosser Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	158
27 Alan Paton: Weeping for the beloved country Gary Pienaar Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	163
28 Es’kia Mphahlele: ‘Afrikan humanness and Afrikan becoming’ Gavaza Maluleke Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	169
29 Nadine Gordimer: Writer with a conscience Joleen Steyn Kotze Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	173
30 André Brink: Controversial author Hester du Plessis Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	178
31 Eugène Marais: Author and naturalist Hester du Plessis Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	182
32 N.P. van Wyk Louw: Poet and intellectual Marie Wentzel Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	186
33 James Matthews: ‘Black voices shout!’ Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	191
34 Mazisi Kunene: Africa’s Poet Laureate Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	195
35 Ingrid Jonker: A bohemian figure Hester du Plessis Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	201
36 Keorapetse Kgositsile: Revolutionary Poet Laureate Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	206
37 Breyten Breytenbach: Word nomad and revolutionary spirit Hester du Plessis Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	211
38 Athol Fugard: Prophet not without honour Michael Cosser Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	215
39 John Kani: Titan of South African theatre Gerard Hagg Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	219
40 Miriam Makeba: Giving voice to the voiceless Samela Mtyingizane Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	224
41 Hugh Masekela: Still grazing our hearts Namhla Ngqwala Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	230
42 Lady Skollie: ‘Confronting society’s ills’ Chris Broodryk Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	233
43 Pieter-Dirk Uys: ‘Biting critique’ Marié-Heleen Coetzee Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	236
44 Daniel Friedman: ‘Evoking white fragility’ Marié-Heleen Coetzee Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	242
45 Loyiso Gola: ‘Question everything’ Chris Broodryk Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	245
46 Trevor Noah: Breaking down boundaries Samela Mtyingizane Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	248
Part 3: Academic Public Intellectuals
Introduction Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	255
47 Bernard Magubane: ‘Analysing the colonial situation’ Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	259
48 Archie Mafeje: An Afrocentric social science? Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	263
49 David Webster: A life cut short Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	267
50 Raymond Suttner: Analysing the liberation struggle Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	271
51 Johan Degenaar: The Socrates of Stellenbosch Gerard Hagg Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	276
52 Phillip Tobias: ‘Humanity’s past and future’ Francois Gilles de Pelichy Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	281
53 Fatima Meer: Promoting justice through non-violence Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	286
54 Rick Turner: ‘Through the eye of the needle’ Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	291
55 Eddie Webster: Advancing democracy through labour activism Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	296
56 Harold Wolpe: The revisionist Marxist Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	300
57 Jakes Gerwel: A university of the left Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	305
58 Olive Shisana: Change through science Narnia Bohler-Muller Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	308
59 Malegapuru Makgoba: An agent of transformation Francois Gilles de Pelichy Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	313
60 Naledi Pandor: A life of continuous learning Thobekile Zikhali Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	318
Part 4: Organic Public Intellectuals
Introduction Vasu Reddy Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	325
61 Solomon Plaatje: Confronting native life in South Africa Gavaza Maluleke Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	328
62 Benjamin Pogrund: White witness of township life Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	334
63 Nat Nakasa: A courageous journalist Gavaza Maluleke Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	338
64 Percy Qoboza: Armed with a pen Austin Pinkerton Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	342
65 Zapiro: The sword of satire Joleen Steyn Kotze Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	347
66 Johan Heyns: Prophet of critical solidarity Gerard Hagg Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	352
67 Richard Goldstone: Fine balancer of the scales Michael Cosser Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	357
68 Yvonne Mokgoro: A woman of substance Narnia Bohler-Muller Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	363
69 Sandile Ngcobo: Empowering the people Michael Cosser Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	367
70 Neville Alexander: Champion of multilingualism Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	373
71 Pallo Jordan: ‘Unapologetic moral guardian’ Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	379
72 Jeremy Cronin: Tales of struggle Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	385
73 Jabulani ‘Mzala’ Nxumalo: Revolutionary intellectual Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	391
74 Joel Netshitenzhe : An economic policy colossus Ngqapheli Mchunu Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	396
75 Elinor Sisulu: Feminist and activist Thobekile Zikhali Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	400
76 Zackie Achmat: Social movements activist Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	404
77 Kumi Naidoo: The global activist Gregory Houston Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	409
References Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	414
Picture credits Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	463
Contributors Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	465
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed	467

Publishing information

Pages and Images/Illustrations in book

eBook published on:

February 9, 2021

eBook ISBN:

9781928246619

Original publisher:

HSRC Press

Pages and Images/Illustrations in book

Main content:

478

https://doi.org/10.1515/9781928246619

eBook ISBN: 9781928246619

Audience(s) for this book

College/higher education;

The Fabric of Dissent

Overview

About this book

Topics

Table of contents

Bibliographic data