Gauteng – The Founder and Executive Trustee of the Steve Biko Foundation, Mr. Nkosinathi Biko, and the Principal and Vice-Chancellor of UNISA, Professor Mandla Makhanya, are pleased to announce that the upcoming 19th Annual Steve Biko Memorial Lecture will be held at the Z.K. Matthews Great Hall, UNISA, Muckleneuk Campus, on Friday, 14th September 2018.
Significantly, the Lecture takes place on the 20th anniversary year of the Steve Biko Foundation, and forms a part of commemorative activities marking the 41st anniversary of the death in detention of Bantu Stephen Biko. The commemorative programme includes a colloquium of Black Consciousness stalwarts that are currently scattered politically, belonging to different political parties, to be held in December. The upcoming 19th Annual Steve Biko Memorial Lecture features as part of this broader commemorative programme.
This year’s Lecture will be delivered by one such political figure with background in the Black Consciousness Movement, His Excellency, the President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa, a former member of the South African Students’ Organization (SASO), the Students’ Christian Movement (SCM) and the Black People’s Convention (BPC).
President Ramaphosa was a student at the University of the North (Turfloop) – one of the heartlands of the Black Consciousness Movement in the 1970’s – where he studied for a B Proc degree. He joined the South African Students Organization (SASO) in 1972, and was one of the organizers of the pro-Frelimo rally at Turfloop in 1974. Consequently detained for 11 months under section 6 of the Terrorism Act for his activism, and after graduating with a degree in law, Ramaphosa continued his political activism through the Black People’s Convention (BPC), holding posts on various committees. In 1981 Ramaphosa joined the black consciousness-oriented Council of Unions of South Africa (CUSA) as an advisor in the legal department. He later led the formation of the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM).
“As the Foundation marks 20 years of its existence, and in line with our institutional tradition of heads of state delivering the Lecture to mark significant milestones, President Ramaphosa will explore the importance of guiding the national and international transformation through self-reliance and personal commitment”, said Founder and Executive trustee of the Steve Biko Foundation, Nkosinathi Biko.
“At UNISA, we are very excited that the 19th Annual Steve Biko Memorial Lecture will be delivered by a leader of the stature of President Ramaphosa – a veteran with a commendable track record in student and labour activism; and a leading figure in the struggle against apartheid. We look forward to an insightful lecture worthy of marking the 41st anniversary of the death of Steve Biko and celebrating his ever-lasting legacy”, added Professor Mandla Makhanya, the Principal and Vice Chancellor of UNISA.
Details of the upcoming 19th Annual Steve Biko Memorial Lecture are as follows:
Date: Friday, 14th September 2018
Time: 17:30 for 18:30 (All guests to be seated by 18:00) Venue: ZK Matthews Great Hall
UNISA Muckleneuk Campus
Preller Street, Pretoria
The 19th Annual Steve Biko Memorial Lecture is now fully booked
