FORMER rector and vice-chancellor of the University of Western Cape Jakes Gerwel says the institution has played a key role against apartheid because it was a place of resistance by students and academics alike.
Gerwel was speaking at the launch of the book, Becoming UWC, this week.
The book is about the history and achievements of the university, which had waged an unrelenting struggle against apartheid's design for higher education in South Africa.
Contributors to the book include professor of history Ciraj Rasool, senior lecturer of political studies Keith Gottschalk, lecturer in the English department Julia Martin and professor of history Weslie Witz .
Gerwel urged the audience to learn more about UWC, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
He congratulated academics and editors of the book, Premesh Lalu and Noeleen Murray, for a job well done.
Gerwel said UWC was a place of resistance and struggle for freedom.
"Although we strovefor education and knowledge at UWC, it was also a place of robust debates and struggle against apartheid, where I had the privilege to work," he said.
UWC was referred to as a university of the Left or working class and had also been home for many former disadvantaged students.
UWC rector and vice-chancellor Brian O'Connell spoke about the role he played as a student at the university.
"After leaving as a student I vowed not to return, but circumstances made me return," he said.
Though viewed as a "coloured university", it also underwent changes and transformation and accepted thousands of black students.
O'Connell said student uprisings in 1976 also affected student politics in Cape Town.
"We took a lead in student politics at UWC and waged a struggle against Bantu Education and the apartheid system.
"After defeating apartheid we wanted to know how UWC would relate to or engage with the democratic government?" he said.
O'Connell said UWC planned around issues of health, education and food security with the aim of improving the lives of South Africans.
Lalu, director of UWC's Centre for Humanities Research, said the intellectual and political reorientation of the institution in 1987 brought a host of unforeseen consequences, which still haunt the university today.
"UWC had refused to be an instrument of apartheid ideology," Lalu said.
By 1995, with relations strained between students and academics, and between academics, non-academic staff and senior management, UWC faced a gloomy prospect of becoming yet another project that lagged behind in the transformation of black institutions in post-apartheid South Africa.
Book on history of UWC
FORMER rector and vice-chancellor of the University of Western Cape Jakes Gerwel says the institution has played a key role against apartheid because it was a place of resistance by students and academics alike.
Gerwel was speaking at the launch of the book, Becoming UWC, this week.
The book is about the history and achievements of the university, which had waged an unrelenting struggle against apartheid's design for higher education in South Africa.
Contributors to the book include professor of history Ciraj Rasool, senior lecturer of political studies Keith Gottschalk, lecturer in the English department Julia Martin and professor of history Weslie Witz .
Gerwel urged the audience to learn more about UWC, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
He congratulated academics and editors of the book, Premesh Lalu and Noeleen Murray, for a job well done.
Gerwel said UWC was a place of resistance and struggle for freedom.
"Although we strovefor education and knowledge at UWC, it was also a place of robust debates and struggle against apartheid, where I had the privilege to work," he said.
UWC was referred to as a university of the Left or working class and had also been home for many former disadvantaged students.
UWC rector and vice-chancellor Brian O'Connell spoke about the role he played as a student at the university.
"After leaving as a student I vowed not to return, but circumstances made me return," he said.
Though viewed as a "coloured university", it also underwent changes and transformation and accepted thousands of black students.
O'Connell said student uprisings in 1976 also affected student politics in Cape Town.
"We took a lead in student politics at UWC and waged a struggle against Bantu Education and the apartheid system.
"After defeating apartheid we wanted to know how UWC would relate to or engage with the democratic government?" he said.
O'Connell said UWC planned around issues of health, education and food security with the aim of improving the lives of South Africans.
Lalu, director of UWC's Centre for Humanities Research, said the intellectual and political reorientation of the institution in 1987 brought a host of unforeseen consequences, which still haunt the university today.
"UWC had refused to be an instrument of apartheid ideology," Lalu said.
By 1995, with relations strained between students and academics, and between academics, non-academic staff and senior management, UWC faced a gloomy prospect of becoming yet another project that lagged behind in the transformation of black institutions in post-apartheid South Africa.
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