[Rhodes - Latest News] Rhodes University launched the first series of Umrhabulo: Breaking Bread talks, a programme through which interested staff and students converge to discuss the prospect of a university committed to social justice and Ubuntu.
UMRABULO - Word used to inspire political discussion and debate among convicted terrorists at Robben Island prison. This concept was revived in 1996 when the communist ANC published the first edition of Umrabulo.
The first event of the series, hosted on Thursday, 14 September, unpacked how teaching practices can be entrenched not just in knowledge, but also in humanity under the theme Humanising pedagogy.
The discussion took inspiration from Bell Hook and intellectual Cornel West, in their book, Breaking Bread: Insurgent Black Intellectual Life.
The premise of the discussion was the collective understanding that South African universities, and Rhodes, are at a crossroads with constituencies calling for the decolonisation of the university space, a reform of curriculums, teaching methods, and knowledge offering.
Dr Siphokazi Magadla, Senior Lecturer at the Political & International Studies department, led the discussion together with retired Rhodes University scholar, Professor Michael Joseph, chaired by Nompulelelo Babeli.
"We know that things must change, but we do not know exactly how. Where do we go from here? How do we guard against disillusionment? were the pertinent questions of the evening.
According to Babeli, "our aim is to begin to imagine a university in which students are central, social justice is served, and the African context is fully recognised".
Western teaching methods were said to play a role in de-humanising and alienating the African child. Therefore, there needs to be an establishment of a safe space for mutual vulnerability.
Dr Magadla sees learning as a space of both passion and pleasure. Drawing on author, feminist and social activist Bell Hook’s work, Magadla views scholarship not as an abstract inquiry, but as community work. 
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