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02 August 2021 | Story Sanet Madonsela | Photo Supplied
Helen Zille unpacking the notion of ‘wokeness’ and its context within the broader South Africa during a virtual book discussion with Prof Hussein Solomon.

The Department of Political Studies and Governance at the University of the Free State hosted Helen Zille, Chairperson of the Federal Council of the Democratic Alliance, to discuss her book #StayWoke: Go Broke: Why South Africa won’t survive America’s culture wars (and what you can do about it). Zille was in discussion with the Academic Head of Department, Prof Hussein Solomon. She unpacked the notion of ‘wokeness’ – also known as the ‘critical theory’, as well as the emergence of a ‘cancel culture’ in broader society.

Zille explained how the woke ideology combines post-modernism and neo-Marxism and why intersectionality often features in the lexicons (vocabulary) of South African universities. 

Wokeness and its threat to our Constitution 

Zille explained that wokeness threatens South Africa’s constitutional democracy. “Unlike America, South Africa’s democratic institutions are fragile and new and may not be able to survive the wave of wokeness,” she said. She further explained how the ‘properly wokes’ request to have separate graduations for African students could not work and how South Africa’s Constitution promotes inclusion.  

Zille believes that the country needs its young people to be critical thinkers, as this can assist in stabilising the country’s economy and internal challenges. She believes that society needs a range of paradigms to make sense of the world, processes, programmes, and history and that it should not be overly reliant on a singular view, as this could have negative implications on the country in the long term. Zille concluded that she remains hopeful for the country, as its citizens are intelligent, sensible, ethical, and rational enough to move it forward and assist in reaching its full potential.  

Wokeness aims to overthrow societal hierarchy 

Zille notes in her book that 'wokeness is an attempt to invert ‘society’s conventional hierarchy of privilege in order to promote marginalised identities.'  This stems from a struggle against inborn attributes of personal identity such as race, sex, sexuality, gender, and disability. It believes that society comprises power hierarchies that determine what should be known and what shouldn’t, as well as how events and actions should be interpreted. It believes that social justice activists need to expose unequal power relations and dismantle them in order to achieve social justice. 

Unequal power relations in this regard include racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, fatphobia, and other prejudices. Moreover, it argues that knowledge needs to be decolonised in order to achieve social justice. Decolonisation would require stripping knowledge of the methods and contents used in Western society. While it ‘seeks’ to promote inclusion, wokeness has begun to symbolise an extreme intolerance and is often used as a tool to enable a cancel culture. As a movement, it has been used to tear down statues, deface paintings, and monitor others’ speech infringements to ensure conformity. Rather than engage in rational debates with those who share dissenting views, online woke communities silence people with opposing views. This threatens social progress. Zille’s book represents a valuable contribution and a necessary attempt to understand the phenomenon and why it would not work in the South African context. 

Having personally experienced the wave of wokeness and cancel culture, Zille is well placed to advise others experiencing such tactics. She advises them to recognise what happened and to remain calm; to question whether they said or did anything objectionable or whether they just undermined the woke narrative; not to apologise or resign, as it feeds into the narrative that they have done something wrong; to seek legal counsel if they can afford it; not to engage online mobs; and not to give up. 

Watch recording of webinar below:


News Archive

Outstanding UFS alumni celebrated at annual award ceremony
2016-11-08

Description: Alumni awards 2016 Tags: Alumni awards 2016

Justice Mahube Molemela, Justice Ian van der Merwe
and Tanya Calitz.

The annual Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony was presented by the Office of Institutional Advancement on 5 November 2016, at the University of the Free State (UFS) Bloemfontein Campus. The prestigious awards recognise outstanding achievements of UFS alumni provincially, nationally and internationally. These are alumni who have not only placed the university on the world stage but have inspired the next generation of Kovsies and their communities at large.

“I am proud of this year’s award recipients and it is an honour to recognise them for the contributions they make,” said Justice Ian van der Merwe, Chairperson of the UFS Council, at the ceremony. “With these awards, the university wants to strengthen its bond and replenish its connection with alumni, showcase their achievements, and inspire other alumni and students to achieve in their respective fields,” Justice van der Merwe said.

For the first time, the Young Alumnus of the Year Award was presented, to recognise and celebrate the achievements of alumni who have graduated within the past decade. The recipient of the award, Tanya Calitz, Research Lawyer at the Constitutional Court of South Africa, said in her acceptance speech: “At Kovsies you arrive as a student and leave as a critical thinker and leader.”

The Chancellor’s Distinguished Alumnus Award was presented to Justice Mahube Molemela, Chancellor of the Central University of Technology and Judge President of the Free State High Court. “I accept this award with humility and appreciation from this esteemed institution. It is moments like these that we as alumni should reflect on what we can do to contribute to the excellence of the UFS,” said Justice Molemela.

More awards were presented to alumni in the following categories:
•    Rolene Strauss, former Miss World and student at the UFS.
•    Wayde van Niekerk, current world record holder, world champion and Olympic champion in the 400 metres, and student at the UFS.

Cum Laude Award:
•    Neil Powell, Coach of Blitzbokke that won the bronze medal at the Olympic Games in 2016.
•    Professor Eunice Seekoe, Acting Dean: Faculty of Health Sciences, and leader in Health Science professional training.
•    Gary Stroebel, CEO of Central Media Group and visionary media pioneer.

Executive Management Award:
•    Anna Botha (Tannie Ans), coach and mentor of Wayde van Niekerk.
•    Anton Esterhuyse, musical director, composer, arranger, producer, and performer.

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