From Soweto to scholarship: Unisa professor calls for African knowledge to reclaim its place

The journey from a challenging childhood in Soweto to becoming a scholar, educator, mentor and advocate for epistemic justice has shaped much of Prof Christina Maserole Kgari-Masondo’s academic philosophy.

Delivering her inaugural lecture, the Professor in the Department of History in the School of Humanities, College of Human Sciences at the University of South Africa (Unisa), reflected on a career rooted in African history, decolonial thought and Indigenous Knowledge Systems.

At the heart of her lecture was a call to restore African Knowledge Systems to a more central position in intellectual discourse and higher education.

For Prof Kgari-Masondo, this is not simply an academic pursuit. It is a commitment shaped by personal experience, the history of apartheid South Africa and a belief that knowledge should reflect the diversity of the societies it seeks to serve.

Prof Kgari-Masondo spoke candidly about the experiences that shaped her values and outlook.

She lost her mother to cancer at the age of 12 and grew up without knowing her father. Raised by her grandmother, siblings, extended family and members of her community, she said these experiences taught her the importance of ubuntu, compassion, responsibility, respect and collective care.

“The experience affirmed the African proverb that it takes a village to raise a child,” she said. “The support I received taught me that success is rarely an individual achievement, but rather the outcome of collective effort and care.”

Those lessons have remained central to her approach to teaching and mentorship. In the classroom, she deliberately incorporates ubuntu values, seeking to develop graduates who are not only academically capable but also ethical, socially conscious and committed to nation-building and social cohesion.

Her childhood experiences also helped shape the scholar she would become.

Growing up in Soweto during apartheid exposed her to racial discrimination, inequality and systemic injustice. These experiences contributed to her lifelong commitment to African-centred scholarship and to challenging Eurocentric approaches to knowledge production.

Throughout her academic career, Prof Kgari-Masondo has focused on African and Indigenous Knowledge Systems, decolonising curricula, historical memory and identity, African student experiences in higher education, social and environmental justice, language and transformation, and gender studies.

Her scholarship seeks to question dominant narratives while placing African experiences and intellectual traditions at the centre of knowledge production.

“I seek to challenge dominant narratives by foregrounding African experiences, worldviews and intellectual traditions that have often been overlooked,” she said.

Her inaugural lecture examined the historical forces that contributed to the marginalisation of African Knowledge Systems, including colonialism and the Enlightenment. She described this struggle as a “war of knowledges”, arguing that the imbalance remains relevant even as societies embrace new technologies associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

For Prof Kgari-Masondo, technological advancement should not come at the expense of Indigenous Knowledge Systems.

She drew on concepts including Sankofa, Go a Boela and Ukubuyisa to advocate for a more restorative approach to knowledge production. She also introduced the idea of the “Ubuntuisation” of global intellectual traditions, calling for knowledge systems to engage more meaningfully with African philosophies, experiences and ways of knowing.

Prof Kgari-Masondo did not initially set out to become an academic.

As a young person, she aspired to become a lawyer. A teacher, however, recognised her leadership potential and encouraged her to pursue education.

Looking back, she believes teaching ultimately chose her.

“What seemed like a chance opportunity became my calling,” she reflected.

That calling has since extended beyond the classroom to include postgraduate supervision, mentorship and the development of emerging scholars.

Her teaching philosophy is grounded in inclusion, dignity, empathy and student-centred learning. She believes students should be recognised as individuals with different experiences, circumstances and challenges, and that universities have a responsibility to contribute to a more just and socially responsible society.

Her commitment to students is particularly evident in her approach to postgraduate supervision.

Prof Kgari-Masondo has successfully supervised more than 28 postgraduate students to completion, with several graduating cum laude and within the prescribed time.

She regards student success as one of the most rewarding aspects of her academic career. At the same time, she acknowledged the financial and personal pressures that can make postgraduate study difficult.

“Witnessing talented students discontinue their studies because of financial constraints remains one of the most difficult realities of supervision,” she said.

These experiences have reinforced her belief that effective supervision requires more than academic guidance. It also requires mentorship, empathy and holistic support.

Her commitment to African knowledge also extends beyond the university.

Through The People of God Christian Ministries International, Prof Kgari-Masondo mentors aspiring entrepreneurs and supports young people seeking to establish and sustain small businesses. She is also involved in initiatives supporting vulnerable communities through the provision of food, clothing and other essential resources.

Her interest in preserving Indigenous Knowledge Systems has also taken her into collaborative heritage work.

Through work with IMisi House, she has contributed to efforts to document the histories and Indigenous Knowledge associated with basket weaving by women. The project seeks to preserve cultural traditions while recognising the important contribution of women to heritage and knowledge preservation.

Prof Kgari-Masondo’s work increasingly extends beyond South Africa.

She collaborates with researchers elsewhere on the continent, including colleagues in Zimbabwe on research focused on African leadership and Indigenous Knowledge Systems.

She also expressed an interest in conducting research in Ethiopia, whose educational system she believes offers valuable lessons on incorporating African languages and Indigenous Knowledge Systems into teaching, learning and research.

These collaborations form part of a broader ambition to strengthen African scholarship and ensure that African perspectives contribute more prominently to global intellectual conversations.

At this stage of her career, Prof Kgari-Masondo is concentrating on theorising African epistemologies, expanding African-centred scholarship, mentoring emerging scholars and developing international research partnerships.

Her recent publication, Enactment of BoMme Theorisation: Re-imagining the Role Played by African Women Musicians in Their Resistance to Apartheid, contributes to debates around African decolonial theory and the role of women in resistance histories.

She is also focused on securing research funding and creating scholarship opportunities that foreground African worldviews, philosophies and experiences.

Ultimately, she hopes her legacy will extend beyond academic publications and professional achievements.

She wants to be remembered as a scholar, educator, mentor and community leader who helped restore African voices, languages, histories and Indigenous Knowledge Systems to their rightful place in higher education and society.

Her message is particularly directed at future generations of scholars and leaders, including women whom she hopes will pursue excellence while contributing to a more equitable and humane society.

“I hope to leave behind not only publications and academic achievements, but also empowered people, transformed institutions and a generation of scholars committed to advancing African knowledge, dignity and humanity,” she concluded.

* By Dr Khabo Maduna, Communication and Marketing Specialist, CHS