SA mourns the loss of educational visionary professor Brian O’Connell

Source: UWC on X

O’Connell passed away on Sunday at the age of 77.

The minister has remembered O’Connell as an “illustrious” educationist and higher education leader who played a seminal role in basic and higher education following the advent of democracy in South Africa.

“The roots of his passion for social justice, equality and freedom must have been planted during his experiences as a student activist at UWC in the mid-1960s and resonated throughout his extraordinary life,” Nzimande said.

In higher education, the department said O’Connell led the university from 2001 until 2014, a period marked by difficult challenges of financial distress and the “merger” process.

However, under his leadership, the department believes UWC faced up to both challenges with great skill.

The late Professor has also been recognised for guiding UWC through difficult times, transforming it into one of the few historically Black universities in South Africa to successfully overcome its history of marginalisation and stagnation.

“At the core of his transformational leadership role was his stunning success in deliberately positioning UWC to become one of South Africa’s leading teaching and research universities.

“He worked tirelessly to mobilise resources from both South Africa and abroad to finance an ambitious Science Building project at a time of decline in fiscal support for infrastructure at universities.”

For his achievements in education, O’Connell was awarded the National Research Foundation’s (NRF) Lifetime Achievement Award in September 2017.

Nzimande further noted that “Professor O’Connell was without doubt a visionary and charismatic figure in higher education with an unwavering commitment to an agenda promoting progressive education as a public good, and for equality and social justice”.

According to the UWC rector and vice-chancellor, professor Tyrone Pretorius, O’Connell took the helm at a time when the university was facing the aftermath of staff retrenchments, financial vulnerability, the significant loss of academic leadership, evolving enrolment trends, and a despondent campus community.

“In his inaugural address in 2002, O’Connell argued that a university hardly deserves the name if it does not provide a space to grow in hope, to create and share knowledge, and to inform the agency.

“Through this approach, he emphasised the strength of using UWC’s distinctive academic role to rebuild the institution as an inspirational community of hope, to be a premier site of knowledge production, and to draw on the agency of its people to use and produce knowledge as agents of change,” Pretorius recalled.

Under O’Connell’s leadership, the university cemented trusted relationships with several universities internationally.

“These networks served as a strong catalytic force which laid the foundation for new partnerships and alliances.”

He mentioned that O’Connell’s legacy is one of passionate conviction, intellectual clarity and engaged leadership.

“As we mourn the loss of a great man, we also celebrate his extraordinary life and the lasting impact he has had on our university and our society,” Pretorius added.

Among the many honorary doctorates Professor received, he was also bestowed the title Commander of the Order of Leopold II from the Belgian government for his contribution to the global tertiary institution sector.

“Professor O’Connell will be remembered in different ways by individuals he touched, but I have no doubt they will all remember his humility – from picking up litter on campus when he was the Rector, to setting an example for the campus community, or the simple gesture of remembering staff member’s names – even, at times, their families.

“He was warm, affable and always dignified in immensely pressurised and challenging situations.”

Both Nzimande and Pretorius extended their heartfelt condolences to the O’Connell family including his wife Judith and children, Amanda-Leigh and Bryan.