South African Poet Laureate and revered struggle veteran, Prof Keorapetse Kgositsile
Unisa welcomed acclaimed South African Poet Laureate and revered struggle veteran, Prof Keorapetse Kgositsile, among its illustrious alumni when it conferred an honorary doctorate on him on Thursday 13 September 2012.
The university conferred the degree of Doctor of Literature and Philosophy (honoris causa) on him in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the academic world nationally and internationally, and for his involvement in the mentoring and support of youth development initiatives.
Kgositsile is an internationally-acclaimed and well-travelled scholar, poet and political activist who, during the struggle years, played a pivotal role in highlighting the plight of the oppressed masses of South Africa to the international community.
He is one of the founding members of the ANC government’s Departments of Education, and Arts and Culture, and a recipient of the prestigious National Order of Ikhamanga in Silver in 2008 for “excellent achievements in the field of literature and using these exceptional talents to expose the evils of the system of apartheid to the world”.
He has studied and taught literature at various institutions in the United States of America and Africa, including Tanzania, Kenya, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Fort Hare in South Africa. His literary works include widely acclaimed poetry collections such as Spirits unchained (1969), My name is Afrika (1971) and The present is a dangerous place to live (1993).
* The article was sourced from a Unisa internal staff newsletter, 9 September 2012
