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Dr Mohale to Deliver the Annual Steve Biko Memorial Lecture

Dr Mohale to Deliver the Annual Steve Biko Memorial Lecture

The Durban University of Technology (DUT) will host the annual Steve Biko Memorial Lecture on Wednesday,12 September 2018 at the DUT Hotel School, Ritson Campus in Durban.

The memorial lecture entitled, ‘From Biko’s Consciousness to the Crisis of Youth Conscious Unconsciousness’ will be delivered by Dr David Mohale, who is the Director: Special Projects in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor at DUT.

DUT has strong ties with the Steve Biko legacy, which is evident through the naming of one of our campuses in Durban after Steve Biko.

Dr Mohale said DUT has an obligation to keep the memory of Steve Biko alive, as well as to stay connected with the society and to drive dialogue which will propel issues of national importance.

“In my view, I see the role of the University being developmental in a sense that we must not only produce graduates that are prepared for the unsustainable capitalist system that thrives on self-preservation. Our development-orientation should be measured by the extent to which our graduates are able and willing to tamper with the establishment, something that Steve Biko did,” said Dr Mohale.

He underlined two popular quotes by Steve Biko as the inspiration behind this memorial lecture, “It is better to die for an idea that will live than to live for an idea that will die” and “Black consciousness is in essence the realisation by the black man of the need to rally together with his brothers around the cause of their operation and to operate together as a group in order to rid themselves of the shackles that bind them to perpetual servitude”.

“The aim is to take a critical look at these two statements and attempt to assess where we are as a nation, particularly young people. There are two main reasons for the focus on young people: Steve Bikowas a young person (and he died a young person; 30 years). Secondly, South Africa and Africa are respectively a young country and a young continent when you look at their populations,” explained Dr Mohale.

“Inevitably, and of necessity, we have to ask the question: what should we do as young people in the midst of an older generation that is holding our country at ransom? I argue that my generation has not developed enough strategic anger which we can use to reverse the current pattern of destruction of our incipient nation,” Dr Mohale argued.

Dr Mohale briefly outlined the context of his lecture, “I will speak about DUT’s own conception of decolonisation, and my own views on what decolonisation should represent. In my area of research, the concept of ‘Glocal’ was introduced, which brings together globalisation and localness of governance issues. I will argue that decolonisation should be premised on a concept “Lo-Glo” – first local before global. We cannot see the best in others before we see it in ourselves”.

There will also be a panel of reputable academics who will further contribute to the discussion during the memorial lecture.

It is important to highlight that the vibrant and enthusiastic, Dr Mohale completed his first Comrades Marathon this year (2018), and also obtained his PhD in Public Policy in April this year.

Dr Mohale said his motivation to run the marathons was triggered by reading the booking of the renowned author, John Maxwell: No Limits.

“Halfway through the book, I started to think about things I thought I could never do because of the limitations I imposed on myself. The book challenged me to remove these caps. That’s what got me running my first marathon in September 2017 and first Comrades Marathon this year. I am going for few more comrades in the coming years, and one of the reasons is because I want to run for a social cause. I have spoken to few friends and comrades to see if we cannot raise money for needy students next year using our legs to run the ultimate human race,” added Dr Mohale.

Pictured: Dr David Mohale is looking forward to delivering the annual Steve Biko Memorial Lecture next week.

Nduduzo Ndlovu

 

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