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UFS confers honorary doctorate on Archbishop Thabo Makgoba

16 April 2024 | Story Precious Shamase | Photo Stephen Collett

Archbishop Thabo Makgoba stood before a crowd of eager faces, memories of his turbulent past intertwining with the present moment. In his speech during the University of the Free State (UFS) Qwaqwa Campus graduation ceremony on 12 April 2024, he recounted a pivotal moment from his youth, marked by the echoes of apartheid's oppression. "I am so pleased to be here," he began, "not least because the last time I was in this beautiful part of the country, I departed under less auspicious circumstances."

Reflecting on his teenage years amid the turbulence of the 16 June 1976 uprising, Archbishop Makgoba shared his journey of resilience and transformation. Forced from his home in the Alexandra township to Soweto, he found himself entangled in the struggle against apartheid. Yet, amid the chaos, his parents sought refuge for him in a rural haven – Makabelane in Phuthaditjhaba.

Gratitude and reflection

Returning to the university decades later to receive an honorary degree from the Faculty of Theology and Religion, Archbishop Makgoba expressed profound gratitude. "It is with enormous gratitude and thanksgiving that I return to this campus to receive this honour," he expressed, reflecting on the transformative power of education and the support of communities.

Receiving the Doctor of Theology (Honoris Causa), Archbishop Makgoba dedicated the honour to the unsung heroes of society. "I receive this honorary degree on behalf of all the lay people ... the pillars who sustain us," he remarked, acknowledging their enduring contributions amid historical injustices and contemporary challenges.

Championing equality and social justice

In his address, Archbishop Makgoba stressed the relevance of theology in addressing contemporary societal issues. Drawing upon the doctrine of the incarnation, he emphasised the divine solidarity with humanity, urging a renewed commitment to social justice and equality.

Advocating for a ‘new struggle’ for a just and equitable society, Archbishop Makgoba called upon graduates to embrace a legacy of service and activism. "Let's dedicate ourselves to serving our society in a way that will enable those who are the least among us to live lives as full and as rich as those we aspire to live ourselves," he urged, invoking a vision of collective empowerment and societal transformation.

Legacy of leadership

The newly honoured Dr Makgoba's journey from the streets of apartheid-era South Africa to the helm of the Anglican Church stands as a testament to the power of resilience, education, and service. As he continues to champion social justice and equality, his legacy resonates with hope and inspiration for generations to come.

Dr Makgoba's call for societal transformation aligned with the UFS’ Vision 130. This strategic intent aims to reposition the university as a beacon of academic excellence, innovation, and inclusivity. His honorary degree ceremony echoes the institution's commitment to nurturing leaders who embody the values of accountability, social justice, and care, contributing to a future where education becomes a catalyst for positive change.

Congratulatory Message

The Chancellor of the UFS, Prof Bonang Mohale, conveyed his heartfelt congratulations to Dr Makgoba on his honorary title, commending him as an unwavering champion in the continuous struggle for justice. Prof Mohale expressed gratitude for Dr Makgoba's tireless efforts, which paved the way for future generations to assert themselves and challenge authority. “Your accomplishment serves as a testament to your passion and unwavering commitment. Congratulations,“ said Prof Mohale. In conclusion, Prof Mohale warmly thanked Dr Makgoba for his selfless dedication and significant contributions.

News Archive

Code-switching, tokenism and consumerism in print advertising

2014-10-27

Code-switching, linguistic tokenism and modern consumerism in contemporary South African print advertising. This is the current research focus of two lecturers from the Faculty of the Humanities at the UFS, Prof Angelique van Niekerk and Dr Thinus Conradie.

The act of switching between two or more languages is replete with socio-cultural meaning, and can be deployed to advance numerous communicative strategies, including attempts at signalling cultural familiarity and group affiliation (Chung 2006).

For advertising purposes, Fairclough’s (1989) seminal work on the ideological functions of language remark on the usefulness of code-switching as a means of fostering an advertiser-audience relationship that is conducive to persuasion. In advertising, code-switching is a valuable means with which a brand may be invested with a range of positive associations. In English-dominated media, these associations derive from pre-existing connotations that target audiences already hold for a particular (non-English) language. Where exclusivity and taste, for example, are associated with a particular European language (such as French), advertising may use this languages to invest the advertised brand with a sense of exclusivity and taste.

In addition, empirical experiments with sample audiences (in the field of consumer research) suggest that switching from English to the first language of the target audience, is liable to yield positive results in terms of purchase intentions (Bishop and Peterson 2011). This effect is enhanced under the influence of modern consumerism, in which consumption is linked to the performance of identity and ‘[b]rands are more than just products; they are statements of affiliation and belonging’ (Ngwenya 2011, 2; cf. Nuttall 2004; Jones 2013).

In South African print magazines, where the hegemony of English remains largely uncontested, incorporating components of indigenous languages and Afrikaans may similarly be exploited for commercial ends. Our analysis suggests that the most prevalent form of code-switching from English to indigenous South African languages represents what we have coded as linguistic tokenism. That is, in comparison with the more expansive use of both Afrikaans and foreign languages (such as French), code-switching is used in a more limited manner, and mainly to presuppose community and solidarity with first-language speakers of indigenous languages. In cases of English-to-Afrikaans code-switching, our findings echo the trends observed for languages such as French and German. That is, the language is exploited for pre-existing associations. However, in contrast with French (often associated with prestige) and German (often associated with technical precision), Afrikaans is used to invoke cultural stereotypes, notably a self-satirical celebration of Afrikaner backwardness and/or lack of refinement that is often interpolated with hyper-masculinity.

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