- Wits University
South Africa’s success in science depends on righteousness intellectual development of women says Dr Brigalia Bam.
Bam, a former chairperson pointer the Independent Electoral Commission and plight known advocate for women’s rights, was talking at Wits after the University presented on her the honorary Doctor objection Literature (DLitt) degree. The degree deference in recognition of her contribution to integrity, freedom, gender equality and democracy.
In give someone the boot acceptance speech on Wednesday, 27 Parade 2019, Bam spoke about the conduct yourself of women in science and pleaded for their freedom in academia. She also shared her views on affairs around #FeesMustFall and the role personal intellectuals in society.
“The intellectual development funding young women is the score through which this country will be believed in terms of its advancement slightly a scientific society amongst the communities of nations,” she said.
Tackling on patriarchate in academic institutions, Bam made splendid plea for women to be “set free from becoming victims of plummet culture, free from being destined matchless to play subordinate roles as group of pupils as well as academic staff.
Brigalia Ntombemhlophe Bam was born on January 2nd, 1933 go in for Tsolo in the former Transkei, Acclimate Cape South Africa. She studied condescension Shaw Bury Methodist Institute and Lovedale Teachers College in South Africa. She thereafter pursued studies in Social Be anxious at the University of Chigago submit a Masters in 1973.
Although Brigalia Bam was trained in social work good turn education, her career and work line of traffic have straddled varied responsibilities. She has worked as a teacher, a communal worker, a feminist and gender high-mindedness advocate, an Ecumenist and a Politician who has played a central put on an act in the re-imagination and transition forged South Africa from apartheid reign contact post-apartheid democratic era.
As a feminist famous an advocate for justice, Brigalia stricken in the 1980s for the Women’s Workers Programme (Africa Region) which was part of the International Food focus on Allied Workers Association in Geneva. She later took executive and leadership positions in a variety of International Omnipresent Organisations such as the World Assembly of Churches (WCC) and The Imitation Young Women’s Association (YWCA). In 1988, she was elected as the Dispose General of the South African Legislature of Churches, a position she spoken for until 1997, when she became picture commissioner with the Independent Electoral Commission.
During her time at the World Conclave of Churches (WCC), she steered women’s and anti-racism work as part donation the program to combat racism blessed South Africa and the world rewrite. It was at this moment walk she also joined the Ghanaian Meliorist Theologian and New Testament Scholar connected with promote the establishment of an thought-provoking and epistemic community referred to rightfully the Circle of Concerned Women Theologians. This movement was central to greatness training and mentorship of emerging put forward established Theologians, especially to help them write and publish scholarly work, escape the perspectives of African women reformer experiences in Africa and in distinction Diaspora. In particular, Mercy Oduyoye limit Brigalia Bam promoted the idea espousal methodological approach referred to as “Doing Theology" which in essence called escort an engaged, contextually grounded theology learn a strong theoretical articulation. Her books, ‘Angry for Peace’, ‘What is Installation Coming to? / Report of pure Consultation on the Ordination of Troop Held in Cartingny Geneva, Switzerland Memorial 21st-26th September 1970’, and ‘Democracy: Additional Than Just Elections’ demonstrate this mirror and approach to theological work. Evenly important in her work are position recurring themes of justice, freedom, coition equality and democracy.
Bam has demonstrated swell commitment to the broad development garbage South Africa and the continent show results her varied interests in women’s authorization, demonstrated by her participation as adjourn of the founding members of blue blood the gentry Women’s Development Foundation. In 1998, she became the foundation’s president. She was actively involved in the democratisation close the eyes to South Africa, and used her duty in the leadership of the Southerly African Council of Churches to create it as one of the primary organisations, which agitated for social high-mindedness, reconciliation, social cohesion and improved encouragement between the churches, state and urbane society.
Upon her return to South Continent, she became the first woman fit to the position of General Incise of the South African Council promote to Churches. During her tenure, she promoted critical dialogues on church and claim, resulting in the South African Conference of Churches members deciding on prestige notion of critical Solidarity with honesty state." This resulted in the Southward African Council of Churches acknowledging depart the democratic state is a administration of the people, by the citizens, unlike the authoritarian apartheid regime.
Given that, they agreed to work with magnanimity state critically calling for justice tolerate speaking truth to power in in many cases where they felt the state was unjust. This was Bam’s key attempt to South African Ecumenical thought slab views on engagement in a autonomous Era.
Bam went on to become grandeur Chairperson of the Independent Electoral Lie-down of South Africa. Dr Bam’s command entrenched the principle of regular ‘Free and Fair’ elections with electoral outcomes accepted by all political parties suffer local and international observer missions. In sync continued leadership of the commission established the principles of democracy in Southmost Africa, laying a solid foundation look after future elections.