1. Prof Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela: A journey to reconciliation
The humble andneatoffice hasunique Africanartefactsandwoodensculpturesdecoratingits
corners, whichbringintofocusthe tranquillitythe roomoffers.ProfessorPumlaGobodo-Madikizela
whoworksin thisoffice epitomisesexactlythat,effortlesssophistication.
On the right,againstthe wall isa ceiling-highbookshelf,stackedwithbooksof all sizes, aclear
indicationthatanacademicand avidreaderworksfromthisoffice.
The SeniorResearchProfessorinTrauma,ForgivenessandReconciliationStudiesatthe Universityof
the Free State,Prof Gobodo-Madikizelarecentlyreleasedherbook Darewehope:facing our pastto
find a newfuturewhichtaps intothe country’stormentedhistoryand race-rootedanger.
“Reconciliationinthe twentyyearoldSouthAfricaisa veryimportantissue.There are twotypesof
twentyyearolds,whichIcall the “Second Generation”.Theyare those whoare higherachieversand
have educationandtherefore theyhave the potential toenterthe jobmarket,sotheyhave skills
and at leastenterthe worldwithsomething.
While the othergroupof young people are those whohave nothingandtheyhappentobe inthe
majorityinour country.These youngpeople have nothingandwake upeverydaytothisvoidof
emptiness,where there’saneverydayemptinessandfeelingof worthlessness,”saysthe well-spoken
Gobodo-Madikizela.
She highlightsthe burningtopicof transformationinourdiverse countryandsays“the notionof
transformationandreconciliationismeaninglesstothe secondgroupof youngstersbecause their
liveshave notbeentransformedormovedtoa place of achievement.”
Gobodo-MadikizelawasborninLanga townshipinCape Towninthe mid1950s. She recallsthe
vibrantand caringcommunityshe knewasa younggirl amidstthe stiflinggraspof apartheid.
”My parentswere verylovingandcaring.Duringmyyouthinthe 1960s there was a sense of
communityinourtownship,asense of real communityandconnectionbetweenfamilies,youfelt
youbelong,andthat gave one a sense of security,”she beams.
A stroll downmemorylane forGobodo-Madikizelaleadsthe mindtoasketcha vividpicture of a
youngcourageouswoman,livingalife filledwithadventure,self-confidence andbravery,despite
the circumstances.
“Growingintomy adulthood,IwentandstudiedClinical PsychologyatRhodesUniversity.There I
was experiencingthe challengesof beingthe onlyblackpersoninanall white departmentandI
don’tmeanin termsof my Masters classbut inthat whole department,”she says.
It’sdauntingto imagine the challengesshe enduredyetthe elegantProfessorsays,in-betweenasip
of hertea,that all these hardshipswere ablessing.
“The challenge of beinginthatkindof environmentwasalsoablessing,havingwhitelecturesand
professorswhowere aware of howchallengingthatwasand therefore providingsignificantsupport
to ensure thatmy time isn’ttoostressful because of myblackness.”

2. Tryingto picture the youngProfessorstandingoutatgala dinnersshe attendedwithherfellow-
colleaguesleavesforaninterestingsight.She explainsthe processthatsaw hereducators tryingto
gether permissiontoattendthe programmesandceremoniesorganisedfortheirall-whiteclass.
“Duringmy trainingwe wenttodo an internshipwithmyclass,andthe Clinical Mastersclassis
normallyasmall group,we were 6 in our classand we had go to a mental hospital inQueenstown,it
was a residential internshipandall mywhite colleagueswereable togetflatsintownwithease.
Because I didnothave any relativesinQueenstown,myparentshadtogo and lookforsomeone
whomighttake me inthe townshipof Queenstown.
Those kindof situationschirpsawaya bitof yoursense of confidence andasense of whoyouare, at
the same time it howeverstrengthensyoubecause there isalsoasense of anger,”she explains.
The imageryof side-liningthe otherbecauseof theirrace cementsthe heartandleadsintothe next
thoughtshe shares,“Whyis itthat my life shouldbe different,we studiedthe same course,inthe
same programme and nowcomingoutin the worldI have to be excluded.Andalsowithmysocial
life,theycouldgotorestaurantsinQueenstownandIcouldnot.”
The academicand author alsohas an award-winningbook, A Human Being Died thatNight underher
classybelt,whichhasbeenmade intoa playthat showcasedinLondonlast year.
“As a youngpersonduringthose timesthe feelingwasmore aboutgettinginvolved,infactthe word
involved meantso muchand carriedso much meaning backinthe day,” she beams.
Witha softsmile,Gobodo-Madikizelabeamsthather86year oldmother, MamphelaRampheleand
one of herPhD students SamanthaVanSchalkWykand her co-workerJo-AnneNaidoo are some of
herheroes.
“Watchingmy mother’sfightingspiritisremarkable. Ireallybelieve ourwomenandwomenin
general are reallygiventhe short-endof the stick,especiallywithinfamiliesbecause mothersare
supposedtobe subservantsto the fathersand fathersare the headof families.Whenone reflecton
one’slife andfamilylife,yourealisehow powerful mothershave been,sortof behindthe scenes.”