The Texture of Dissent

Defiant Public Intellectuals in South Africa The public intellectuals featured in The Texture of Dissent: Defiant Public Intellectuals in South Africa are distinguished by the differing contexts and issues that shaped their lives, and the period during which they began to play prominent roles and shape public discourse. This volume intends to provoke rather than provide definitive answers to the topic, idea and subject of public intellectuals in an African context. It provides a motivation of these thinkers and how their insights reimagine an inclusive society in the theatre of ideas. Those assembled in this volume are, in our view, people who ultimately leave deep imprints on what it means to be human in a very complex and divided society.

Acronyms and abbreviations
Acknowledgements

1. The texture of defiance: Defiant public

intellectuals in South Africa Narnia

Bohler-Muller, Gregory Houston,

Vasudhevan Reddy, Maxi Schoeman

and Heather Thuynsma

Part 1: Political Public Intellectuals
Introduction Gregory Houston

2. Frene Ginwala: Speaker of Truth to

Power Narnia Bohler-Muller and

Fathima Zahra Ebrahim Mayet

3. Ronnie Kasrils: ‘Armed and

Dangerous’ Gregory Houston

4. Thabo Mbeki: Born into the Struggle

Gregory Houston

5. Chris Hani: Working Class Hero

Gregory Houston

6. Kgalema Motlanthe: From the

Underground to the Presidency

Gregory Houston

7. Allan Boesak: The Activist Cleric

Gregory Houston

8. Frank Chikane: The Defiant Preacher

Gregory Houston

9. Trevor Manuel: Anti-Apartheid Activist

and Government Minister Gregory

Houston

10. Blade Nzimande: Ensuring

Communism is Alive and Well

Ngqapheli Mchunu

11. Barney Desai: A Struggle for Non-

Racialism Gregory Houston

12. Phillip Kgosana: At the Helm of Mass

Action Gregory Houston

13. Patricia de Lille: Fighting for a Good

Cause Narnia Bohler-Muller and

Fathima Zahra Ebrahim Mayet

14. Steve Biko: The Father of Black

Consciousness Samela Mtyingizane

15. Barney Pityana: Outspoken Champion

for Human Rights Narnia Bohler-

Mulller

16. Mosibudi Mangena: Striving for Black

Consciousness Gregory Houston

17. Alex Boraine: Visionary Bridge-Builder

and “Prince of Peace” Gary Pienaar

18. Frederick van Zyl Slabbert: An

Afrikaner African Gary Pienaar

19. Archbishop Desmond Tutu: Longing

for the ‘Rainbow Nation’ Narnia

Bohler-Mulller

20.Sheena Duncan: Strike a Woman,Strike a Rock Gary Pienaar

21.Zwelinzima Vavi: Veteran TradeUnionist Namhla Ngqwala

Part 2: Cultural Public Intellectuals

Introduction Vasu Reddy, Maxi Schoeman and Heather Thuynsma

22.Adam Small: Poetry AgainstDiscrimination Antoinette Lombard

23.Njabulo Ndebele: Luminary anddistinguished academic MichaelCosser

24.Zakes Mda: Filler of the Void MichaelCosser

25.Mandla Langa: Literary ActivistGregory Houston

26.Antjie Krog: A Strong and WilfulAfrikaner Woman Hester du Plessisand Narnia Bohler-Mulller

27.Mongane Wally Serote: Artistic Talentin the Struggle Gregory Houston

28.Lebogang Mashile: A Poet for theSistahs Gavaza Maluleke

29.Peter Magubane: The Struggle inFocus Lize Kriel

30.Omar Badsha: ‘Placing the CollectiveAbove the Individual’ GregoryHouston

31.William Kentridge: An InternationalStar Hester du Plessis

32.David Kramer: An Enduring ArtistThobekile Zikhali

33.Gcina Mhlophe: Charismatic Arts ThatKeep Telling Alive SamelaMtyingizane

34.Mike van Graan: Dramatist, CulturalActivist and Master of Irony GerardHagg

35.Abdullah Ibrahim: The Healing Powerof Music Henning Melber

36.Johnny Clegg: ‘The Spirit of the GreatHeart’ Narnia Bohler-Mulller

37.Sibongile Khumalo: An African VoiceStopped Singing Henning Melber

38.Johannes Kerkorrel: ‘The Wise Foolwho Left the Fray’ Narnia Bohler-Mulller

39.Brenda Fassie: An African Madonnafor Black Womanhood HenningMelber

40.Thandiswa Mazwai: The Voice ofConscious South African Youth Thobeka Zondi

41.Simphiwe Dana Narnia Bohler-Muller and Fathima Zahra EbrahimMayet

42.Marc Lottering: Laughing is SeriousBusiness Lize Kriel

43.Anton Kannemeyer: Humour is aWeapon Lize Kriel

44.Chester Missing: Puppet PoliticsChris Broodryk

Part 3: Academic Public Intellectuals
Introduction Gregory Houston

45.Hermann Giliomee: UnpackingBicommunalism for the Future of SouthAfrica Albert Grundlingh

46.Jonathan Jansen: Servant LeaderMichael Cosser

47.Shireen Hassim: The Iron Fist ofWomen’s Rights and Gender JusticePolitics in South Africa Iram Yousuf

48.William Gumede: A ToweringIntellectual Figure Ngqapheli Mchunu

49.Xolela Mangcu: Rewriting History andReshaping Conciousness SamelaMtyingizane

50.Ashwin Desai: ‘We are the Poors’Gregory Houston

51.Patrick Bond: Fostering CriticalKnowledge for Social ChangeGregory Houston

52.Pierre de Vos: SpeakingConstitutionally Narnia Bohler-Mulller

53.Pumla Dineo Gqola: UnpackingGendered Discourse in SexualizedViolence Noma Pakade

54.Harry Dugmore: The King of PraxisPalesa Mbonde and Austin Pinkerton

55.Quarraisha Karim Narnia Bohler-Muller and Fathima Zahra EbrahimMayet

56.Mzukisi Qobo: Empowering ThoseAround Him Austin Pinkerton

Part 4: Organic Public Intellectuals
Introduction Vasu Reddy

57.Pius Langa: A Pioneer for SocialJustice Thabani Mdlongwa

58.Navi Pillay: A Lifelong CampaignAgainst the Violence PerpetratedAgainst Innocents Quraysha Ismail-Sooliman

59.Dikgang Moseneke: The Warrior forJustice Namhla Ngqwala

60.Zak Yacoob: A Justice for Socio-Economic Rights Vasu Reddy

61.Edwin Cameron: From Orphan to theBench of the Constitutional CourtNarnia Bohler-Mulller

62.Mogoeng Mogoeng: The ‘Puppet’ WhoCut His Strings Gary Pienaar

63.Thuli Madonsela: An Immovable Forceof Justice Thobeka Zondi

64.Tiyo Soga: The Father of AfricanModernity Palesa Mbonde and AustinPinkerton

65.Henry Nxumalo: The Father of BlackJournalism Austin Pinkerton

66.Lewis Nkosi: A Giant of South AfricanLetters Molly Brown

67.Aggrey Klaaste: Building a Nation withthe Stroke of a Pen Quraysha Ismail-Sooliman

68.Anton Harber: Battling to do GreatGood Molly Brown

69.Mark Gevisser: Creativity! GregoryHouston

70.Ferial Haffajee: A Powerful Reflectionin a Time of Great Turmoil QurayshaIsmail-Sooliman

71.Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka: Championof Women’s Rights Gavaza Maluleke

72.Mbuyiseni Ndlozi: ‘The People’s Bae’Thobekile Zikhali

73. Clem Sunter: The Futurist Francois Gilles de Pelichy

74.Lebogang Pheko: An Afrikan FeministNoma Pakade

75.John Perlman: Extraordinary Man ofthe People Michael Cosser

76.Hennie van Vuuren: Author and SocialJustice Activist Gary Pienaar

77.Simon Nkoli: Standard Bearer of SouthAfrica’s Black Homosexual RevolutionNoma Pakade

78.Nomboniso Gasa: The FeministThobekile Zikhali (organicintellectual)

79.Mark Heywood: The Errant SocialistThobekile Zikhali

80.Sisonke Msimang: A Child of theRevolution Gavaza Maluleke

81.Eusebius McKaiser: Infectious Senseof Humour Thabani Mdlongwa

82.Prince Mashele: Controversial andCynical Thabani Mdlongwa

83.Ralph Mathekga: Respected Analystand Political Commentator ThabaniMdlongwa

Note on Contributors
Bibliography

Narnia Bohler-Muller is the Executive Director of the Developmental, Capable and Ethical State research programme at the Human Sciences Research Council. She is also adjunct Professor of the Nelson R Mandela School of Law at the University of Fort Hare and a Research Fellow with the Centre for Gender and Africa Studies, University of Free State.

Gregory Houston is a Chief Research Specialist in the Developmental, Capable and Ethical State research programme at the Human Sciences Research Council and a Research Fellow in the History Department at the University of Free State.

Vasu Reddy is Professor of Sociology, and Dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the University of Pretoria.

Maxi Schoeman is Emeritus Professor of Political Sciences, a former HOD Political Sciences (2000 – 2016) and Deputy Dean, Postgraduate Studies and Ethics (2016 – 2019) in the Faculty of Humanities, University of Pretoria.

Heather Thuynsma is a lecturer in Political Sciences and Communications Manager in the Faculty of Humanities, University of Pretoria.