Chief Justice delivers Luthuli lecture

CHIEF Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng delivered the 14th annual Chief Albert Luthuli Memorial Lecture at UKZN recently, during which he reflected on the land debate

Quoting Chief Albert Luthuli, Mogoeng said, “you will agree that the masses of the African people live in abject poverty in both rural and urban areas and so many Africans find themselves landless and homeless.”

“African people must pursue meaningful, purposeful and truly intentional dialogue with those who own land and the sworn defenders of the status quo, internal and global campaigns must also be waged concertedly and tirelessly until normalcy is restored,” he said.

Mogoeng, who is the Chancellor of the University, said the solutions proposed in Luthuli’s memory must be inclusive and geared at securing ‘enduring peace, stability and shared prosperity.’ “War is not an option. Strategies that militate against peace and stability are not an option. But silence and inaction in the face of life-threatening and dehumanising migration, abject poverty and landlessness are also not an option,” he said.

Mogoeng reflected on discussions he has had with white South Africans on challenges confronting the country, including the land issue, racism and exclusion from meaningful participation in the economy.

ALSO READ: Another award for UKZN’s youngest prof

“Initially there was resistance but as soon as you demonstrate convincingly that as a matter of fact it is for the common good for all of us that we vigorously pursue, enjoy peace and stability founded on the truth in order to resolve the land issue and economic issue and the race issue, people begin to sober up and warm up to the possibility of jointly pursuing and finding a solution. Don’t mislead one another. I am open to my white compatriots because I love them genuinely whether they believe it or not. But I am not going to say to them there is no racism in South Africa. There is. Otherwise the previously excluded from the mainstream economy would after 24 years be captains of industries in their numbers,” he said.

The Chief Justice said that servant leadership, and not those driven by greed, are needed to lead countries across the African continent.

Luthuli’s oldest daughter, Dr Albertina Luthuli, remembered fondly the close relationship her mother, Nokukhanya and father shared. “You had a couple where the ‘union was made in heaven.’ At the heart of a healthy nation, there has got to be healthy families. My father was a leader of the people. He was a leader who looked beyond himself. He was a leader who faced the hardships of the times, and he leaned very much on his faith,” she added.

Director General of the National Department of Arts and Culture, Vusumuzi Mkhize, said the memorial lecture was about celebrating the life of one of our icons. “It offers an opportunity for all of us to rekindle and reignite our commitment to fight and stand for what they believed and died for. And that is a better South Africa founded on the constitutional values of conscientious leadership, human rights; integrity, equity, freedom and human dignity.”

Speaking at the lecture, UKZN’s acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Dr Albert Modi said: “Chief Luthuli left footprints not only in South Africa and Africa, but the world.”

Do you want to receive news alerts via WhatsApp? Send us a WhatsApp message (not an sms) with your name and surname to 060 532 5535.

You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have signed up for our news alerts you need to save the Berea Mail WhatsApp number as a contact to your phone, otherwise you will not receive our alerts