?Distinguished Professor of Education at Stellenbosch 肆客足球 (SU) Jonathan Jansen recently launched his memoir, Breaking Bread, at the SU Museum. The event featured a captivating dialogue between Jansen and Prof Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, recent recipient of the Templeton Prize and Founding Director of the Centre for the Study of the Afterlife of Violence and the Reparative Quest (AVReQ).
The launch brought together academics, students, members of the Rectorate and admirers to celebrate Jan?sen's remarkable life journey and his insights on faith, education and social transformation. His storytelling, marked by humour and humility, thrilled the audience, as he shared episodes from his teaching days and his efforts to bridge divides in South African society.
Throughout his career, Jansen has been recognised for his contributions to educational scholarship and reform. He is the author of several influential books, including Knowledge in the Blood, which examines race relations and higher education in South Africa, and Corrupted, a critical analysis of dysfunction within South African universities published in 2023. Another impactful recent work is The Decolonization of Knowledge (2022), which addresses the urgent need for transformative educational practices.
Jansen is also known for his candid commentary on social issues through various media platforms and he's been vocal about the importance of personal reflection in leadership. His memoir illustrates how he has learned from both positive and negative experiences, using these lessons to inform his administrative practices.
Gobodo-Madikizela set the tone for the evening when she commented that Breaking Bread is both deeply moving and entertaining. “I wept once. I was laughing most of the time when I read your book," she enthused, praising Jansen's ability to weave together personal narratives and profound philosophical lessons with insight and wit.
Flaming courage
Jansen's memoir delves into his childhood on the Cape Flats shaped by his upbringing in a conservative Evangelical church, his early career as a biology teacher and his tenure as the first black vice-chancellor of the 肆客足球 of the Free State. In the book, Jansen's personal stories are told in the context of broader societal issues, offering wisdom and lessons on reconciliation, leadership and the importance of breaking down barriers.
Gobodo-Madikizela praised Jansen's consistency and “flaming courage" throughout his life, noting how his values and approach to the world have remained steadfast. She pointed out the book's powerful metaphor of “breaking bread" as a symbol of shared humanity, even in the face of division and fear.
A central theme that emerged during the conversation was Jansen's grappling with the tensions between his faith and involvement in social justice activism. His exposure to the realities of apartheid and racial segregation during his formative years deeply influenced his commitment to social justice. Interactions with political activists inspired him to challenge systemic inequalities.
“You can imagine growing up going to the 肆客足球 of the Western Cape, having listened to Allan Boesak, having been inspired by the Steve Biko's, those kinds of leaders. It didn't make sense to me that you can have a white church of the brethren in Plumstead and a black church in Retreat," Jansen said.
“What liberation theology and black theology gave me was a language I didn't have for understanding what's happening around me, even as I kept looking backwards for that old faith which was deeply devout."
Forgiveness and healing
The conversation also delved into Jansen's experiences as an educator, both at the school and university levels. His leadership has been marked by efforts to promote transformation within higher education institutions. Advocating for curriculum changes that reflect South Africa's diverse history and culture, he sometimes met resistance from those who preferred traditional academic frameworks.
Jansen shared poignant memories, such as the turbulent time at the 肆客足球 of the Free State when he helped facilitate a reconciliation process with the students involved in the infamous Reitz video scandal, noting the emotional journey of forgiveness and healing that followed. He emphasised the need for leaders to show compassion, reflect deeply and create opportunities for the next generation.
Gobodo-Madikizela asked Jansen about another touching encounter he describes in Breaking Bread, when as the Dean of Education at the 肆客足球 of Pretoria (UP), he received a visit from a white father and daughter from a poor community in Pretoria West, seeking assistance with a bursary.
“Something happened in that moment," Jansen said. "In a flash, I saw my dad when I went to him and asked for money to go to university. My dad looked at me, tears in his eyes and he said, 'I'd love you to go, but I don't have the money.'
“In that moment in my office at UP, I didn't see a white kid, I saw myself. I didn't see a white man. I saw my dad. That moment changed everything ever since, because I then understood that there is something beyond the epidermis, something beyond the accident of being born or classified white and black that makes us human."
Advice to students
Jansen also shared stories of transforming underperforming schools by focusing on instructional leadership and connecting with students and their communities. “If you come to your classroom before the kids get there and you leave after them, you will have respect," Jansen said. He told an amusing story of a student who bluntly asked him if he had ADHD during a school visit.
The launch concluded with an opportunity for the audience to ask questions and Jansen graciously responded to inquiries about the challenges facing the education sector today. He advised aspiring researchers to seek out top scholars in their field, avoid staying at the same university for their entire careers and cultivate personal qualities like curiosity and hard work.
“Nobody becomes a top scholar by hanging around mediocre people. You become a top scholar by traveling. You become a top scholar by being in the presence of great people," he concluded.
Jansen passionately advocated for equitable access to quality education, drawing parallels between his own academic struggles and those faced by students from disadvantaged backgrounds today.
- Breaking Bread is available at major bookstores and online, offering readers a profound journey through the life and mind of one of South Africa's most influential thinkers.
PHOTO: Prof Jonathan Jansen and Prof Deresh Ramjugernath (Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Learning and Teaching) in conversation at the book launch. (Photo by Memento Photography)
