The Durban University of Technology’s (DUT), Faculty of Art and Design; Drama & Production Studies Department with Umtapo Centre co-hosted a 2024 Steve Biko Lecture in honour of the late and former DUT Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bennie Khoapa.

This two-day momentous occasion was hosted at the Hotel School, Ritson Campus and Steve Biko Campus on Thursday, 12 September 2024 and Friday, 13 September 2024.

The event included a site-specific performance by 2nd-year students from the Drama and Production Studies Department at DUT. The performance served to activate student engagement with Steve Biko’s bust outside the library so that students can have life-based meaning with Biko’s legacy.

First-year students were also part of the lecture, sharing excerpts from their Text Studies module where they learnt to analyse the play: The Island by Athol Fugard, Winston Ntshona and John Kani through Steve Biko’s Black Consciousness lens.

Prof Khoapa passed on at the age of 87 on the 5th of May 2024 and this lecture aimed to pay a heartfelt tribute to his legacy, explore his influential role in the development of the Black Consciousness Movement (BCM) in South Africa. He played a vital role in the South African academic spheres, reliving the BCM ideas and its meaning to the current generation.

The lecture was swiftly facilitated by the DUT Director in Special Projects in the office of Vice-Chancellor, Dr Matheakuena Mohale, who shared his wisdom and profound input throughout the programme, further expressing his concern for the lack of interest from youth in such vital delegations. Mohale also highlighted the need to engage youth and to make BCM a living style once again for a better future.

Mr Jay Reddy, Board member of Umtapo Centre warmly welcomed all the attendees which included DUT management, speakers, the Biko and Dr Khoapa’s family.

“Prof Bennie Khoapa was a remarkable human being whose spirits, action and commitment never faulted. An icon who left a very deep void. We miss wonderful times we shared with this gentle but powerful, humble and profound man in all his work. A beautiful loving and caring being who inspired many around him to achieve their desires and serve communities with passion,’’ said Mr. Reddy.

A heartfelt tribute to Prof Khoapa’s role in academia, the merger of Natal Technikon and ML Sultan Technikon and naming of the Steve Biko campus was delivered by the DUT Professor of Mathematics; Faculty of Applied Sciences, Prof. D Lortan, stating that he feels privileged to share Prof Khoapa’s influential life that inspired many. Further emphasing the importance of formidable relations between academia and community engagements.

“The BCM ideas were rooted both in community and in the mind of thoughtful leaders including Prof Khoapa. If I may be boldly without the BCM there may not have Benn the black community programmes and self-reliance projects,’’ added Prof Lortan.

The community cultural activist, Ms S Moodley under the theme, ‘in conversation with Ben Khoapa’, unpacked his key role in community programs development. Ms Moodley who worked closely with Steve Biko and Prof khoapa in the BCM thanked the DUT for highlighting his enormous constitution to the institution. And Umtapo for upholding his legacy, his wife and children.

“In one of my conversations with Benn, he emphasised that BCM ideas can only be achieved through making a black man to come to himself, take the responsibility of pumping back life into his empty shell and be infused with dignity. Including self-realisation, love and affirmation. The need to liberate the self from psychological oppression of apartheid,’’ said Ms Moodley.

Prof. Nyameko Pityana, a founding member of the BCM in his keynote speech reflected on Steve Biko and the idea of blackness further highlighting an inter-generational dialogue with Ben Khoapa. Prof Pityana kickstarted his speech by quoting from a poem written by Alice Walker, titled Taking Arrow Out of The Heart.

“Try to think bigger than you ever had or have courage enough to do. Blackness is not where whiteness wonders of to die, but it is a dark matter between the stars and galaxies in the universe that ultimately pulls it all together”.

Prof Pityana further expressed that he feels privileged to be invited to such a significant event and took this opportunity to send condolences to Prof Khoapa’s family.

“It is an honour to be granted this opportunity to honour two greatest men, Steve Biko and Prof Khoapa whom were my dearest friends, colleagues, comrades. Prof Khoapa, the way he lived his life inspired many invisible things about South Africa,” said Prof Pityana.

Unpacking the hidden strength of Prof Khoapa, his contribution of redefining the institutional approach to student life, sport and cultural input was Mr Harrikrishna Narismulu, Director; InnoPraxis- Hire Intelligence. He praised Prof Khoapa’s leadership skills and his visionary abilities.

Speaking on behalf of the Khoapa family, his daughter Ms Lintietse Khoapa said as a family they are very humbled by this honour and believes that her father is much alive as his legacy still lives on through his philosophies, theories and ideas.

“As a family we welcome this honour. Thank you to DUT, Umtapo and everyone attended this lecture. I had an opportunity to grow cultural diversity environment at an early age. Therefore, black consciousness was a way for life not a say. It is now upon us to continue with his legacy,’’ he said

In closing the lecture, Ms. A Naicker, Umtapo Special Projects, extended her gratitude to the Biko, Prof Khoapa family, the speakers, participants, students and organisers for making the event a successful one.

“I want to give gratitude and say thank you to all the speakers, everyone who is here. Thank you for sharing with us stories of the late Prof Khoapa. Thank you for unpacking the BCM meaning with us. The programme director (Dr Mohale), Khoapo and Biko family, DUT staff, organisers, drama students and Multimedia. Let it be not the last time we meet. Let us meet again and create something positive,’’ said Ms Naicker.

Pictured: The late Professor Ben Khoapa’s daughter, Ms Lintletse Khoapa at DUT 2024 Steve Biko Lecture.

Photographer: DUT Multimedia.

Vukani Langa