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25 July 2019 | Story Rulanzen Martin | Photo Rulanzen Martin
Prof Robert Peacock
Prof Robert Peacock says the endorsement by the Desmond and Leah Tutu Foundation speaks to the emancipatory agenda of the book.
The Desmond and Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation endorsed the book Victimology in Africa by Prof Robert Peacock for its “move away from the Westernised approach”. According to Prof Peacock “the book Victimology in Africa takes a critical emancipatory approach to the study field, one which recognises indigenous African values as a conceptual framework”.

Prof Peacock is the Head of the Department of Criminology at the University of the Free State (UFS), and currently serves as the President of the World Society of Victimology. He is a well-established criminologist and researcher.

This work was published in July 2019 and stands in stark contrast with the individual-oriented punitive nature of Western concepts of law and criminal justice.

African approach which celebrates humanness 

Analyses of secondary victimisation by Western criminal justice, hidden victimisation in society and dehumanising notions of victimhood, are presented together with the misappropriation of traditional knowledge on the African continent and exploitation of international financial institutions. “Its African approach to victimology   one that celebrates intense humanness and universal interconnectedness   can be considered an emerging area of specialisation in the field,” says Prof Peacock. 

The book provides an opportunity to problematise the enduring role of colonial and neo-colonial institutions in maintaining oppression. “For instance, to what extent Western total institutions (prisons) or criminal justice bodies may be viewed as legitimate?” 

Local and international interest 

The peer-reviewed research that is attributed in the book is used in the Criminology curriculum at the UFS and “with considerable interest expressed from a number of universities in South Africa and internationally.”

“The book provides for a transdisciplinary space and scholarly engagement within the Social Sciences and across different faculties   an ingredient considered necessary to contribute to a more innovative space in teaching and learning,” explains Prof Peacock.

Victimology in Africa is a critical element in the ongoing discussions about decolonisation of higher education in South Africa and the endorsement reads: “It seeks to focus on the humanness of the affected and using the philosophy of Ubuntu.”

News Archive

RC members of Armentum not expelled from residence
2009-05-29

According to a memorandum of agreement that was concluded between the University of the Free State (UFS) and the Residence Committee (RC), the Senior Bond Committee and seniors of the Armentum Residence, the parties involved agreed, among others, that the RC members of this residence would not be expelled from the residence.

This follows an incident during which a first-year student from Armentum, Alex Marais, was injured because of alleged initiation and admitted to the Bloemfontein Medi-Clinic.

According to the agreement, the RC members will resign from their positions and not make themselves available for the next RC election, with the exception of Mr M.J. Pretorius, the RC member for Rag. He will stay on as unelected member of the interim RC. The UFS undertook to pay the RC that is stepping down their honorariums honorariums in August.

The UFS also gave permission to the Residence Head of Armentum, Adv. Bradley Smith, to appoint an interim RC for the remaining period of office of the current RC.

The Senior Bond must also undertake to submit the current rules of the Senior Bond Committee to the Acting Rector, Prof. Teuns Verschoor, before 1 June 2009. The Senior Bond Committee undertakes to comply strictly with these rules, also during Senior Bond activities.

In addition the Senior Bond Committee and the current Residence Committee must submit the following information to Prof. Verschoor before the reopening of the UFS for the second semester :
- The current orientation practices with regard to first-year students.
- Proposals on how the practices can be adjusted to render them enforceable within humane, reasonable, fair and humanitarian limits in order to implement and comply with the objectives of orientation, the exercising of control and the laying down of rules.

The compensating fine that was levied against the tuition fees accounts of senior students of Armentum, which would have been used to contribute to the medical costs of Alex Marais, is now cancelled.

This settlement is final and the parties will not lay any claims against each other as a result of this incident in future.

Media Release:
Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
Email: radebemt.stg@ufs.ac.za
29 May 2009

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