Ubuntu in South Africa: Hopes and disappointments – a pedagogical perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.38140/pie.v39i4.5374Keywords:
Crime, Education, Human dignity, Jurisprudence, South African Constitution, Ubuntugogy, UbuntuAbstract
The indigenous sub-Saharan African philosophy of ubuntu that comes down to the expression: “I am a human being because of being with other human beings”, developed over centuries. This philosophy, embodying the notion of deep respect for all human beings, is rooted in a humane inclination towards kindness and sound relationships among all people. Before its adoption as a principle in the South African Interim Constitution of 1993, ubuntu had never been referred to, or codified in any statutory format. Since then, however, although not mentioned in the final Constitution of 1996, the humane undertones of the ubuntu philosophy have often surfaced in South African jurisprudence, particularly in cases involving citizens’ Constitutional right to human dignity (section 10). This paper examines the phenomenon that the actual modern-day practical, day-to-day life in South Africa does not seem to attest to application of the ubuntu ideal of maintaining and improving the human condition. After examining a number of possible reasons for this phenomenon, ubuntugogy is presented as a possible remedy for this condition. This paper reports on an interdisciplinary analysis involving philosophical, societal, anthropological, legal and pedagogical perspectives. A mixed method research methodology in the form of a social science based interpretive-constructivist qualitative approach combined with a legal approach was followed.
Downloads
References
Ali, A.A. 2011. Proverbs as sources of philosophical ideas about African education. In A.B. Nsamenang & T.M. Tchombe (Eds.). Handbook of African educational theories and practices (pp. 67–76). Bamenda (Cameroon): Human Development Research Centre.
Babbie, E. & Mouton, J. 2007. The practice of social research. Cape Town: Oxford University Press.
Baijnath, N. 2017. Ethical leadership in Higher Education in the era of complexity. In D. Singh & C. Stückelberger (Eds.). Ethics in Higher Education (pp. 187–217). Geneva: Globethics.
Bangura, 2017. African-centered internet literacy: An Ubuntugogy metadata approach. Africology: The Journal of Pan African Studies, 10(10): 88–108.
Bennett, T.W., Munro, A.R. & Jacobs, P.J. 2018. Ubuntu: An African Jurisprudence. Claremont: Juta & Co.
Botha, C.J, 1996. Statutory Interpretation. Kenwyn: Juta & Co.
Bower, C. 2005. Open minds, closed minds, and Christianity. Valyland: Aardvark.
Cilliers, J. 2008. In search of meaning between ubuntu and into: Perspectives on preaching in post-apartheid South Africa. Paper delivered at the eighth international conference of the Societas Homiletica. Copenhagen, Denmark, 19–25 July.
Daniel, L. 2018. Schools in South Africa are becoming more violent. The South African https://www.thesouthafrican.com/south-africa-schools-violent-minister-speaks-out (accessed 29 October 2018).
Dasen, P.R. 2011. Culture, cognition and learning. In A.B. Nsamenang & T.M. Tchombe 2011. Handbook of African educational theories and practices (pp. 159–174). Bamenda (Cameroon): Human Development Research Centre.
Guba, E.G. & Lincoln, Y.S. 2005. Paradigmatic controversies, contradictions, and emerging confluencies. In N.K. Denzin & Y.S. Lincoln (Eds.) The Sage Handbook of Qualitative Research (pp.191–215). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
Himonga, C.N. 2011. The Future of Living Customary Law in African Legal Systems in the Twenty-First Century and Beyond, with Special Reference to South Africa. In J. Fenrich, P.
Galizzi & T. Higgins (Eds.). The Future of Customary Law (pp. 31–57). Cambridge: University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511844294.003
Ike, O. 2017. Ethics in Higher Education as a tool for discovering our ultimate destiny. In: D. Singh & C. Stückelberger (Eds.). Ethics in Higher Education (pp. 18–30). Geneva: Globethics.
Kafanabo, E.G. 2019, 23 July. Personal interview. Dar-es-Salaam. (Lecturer in Citizenship Education and Dean of the School of Education, University of Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania.)
Keep, H. & Midgley, R. 2007. The emerging role of ubuntu-batho in developing a consensual South Africa legal culture. In F. Bruinsma & D. Nelken (Eds.) Explorations in legal cultures (pp. 29–33). Gravenhage: Reed Business.
Lahti, D.C. & Weinstein, B.S. 2005. The better angels of our nature: group stability and the evolution of moral tension. Evolution and Human Behavior 26: 47–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2004.09.004
Lemmer, E. 2017. Infusing Ethics into everyday practice in Higher Education. In D. Singh & C. Stückelberger (Eds.). Ethics in Higher Education (pp. 91–100). Geneva: Globethics.
Lundin, S.C. & Nelson, O.B. 2010. Ubuntu. New York: Broadway Books.
Lutomia, A.N., Sibeyo, D. & Lutomia, N.I. 2018. Bulala as an Ubuntu-inspired approach to enhancing organizational culture in rural Kenya. Africology: The Journal of Pan-African Studies, 11(4): 102–120.
Magano, M.D. 2018. Indigenising knowledge for the excluded children. Indilinga African Journal of Indigenous Knowledge Systems, 172: 234-244.
Masehela, B. & Pillay, V. 2014. Shrouds of silence: A case study of sexual abuse in schools in the Limpopo Province in South Africa. Perspectives in Education, 32(3): 22–35.
Matolimo, M. & Kwindingwi, W. 2013. The end of ubuntu. South African Journal of Philosophy, 32(2): 197–205. https://doi.org/10.1080/02580136.2013.817637
Maunganidze, L., Kasayira, J.M. & Mudhovozi, P. 2011. Educational Assessment and Analysis in the African Cultural Context. In A.B. Nsamenang & T.M. Tchombe (Eds.). Handbook of African educational theories and practices (pp. 321–336). Bamenda (Cameroon): Human Development Research Centre.
Meiring, L. 2016. Exploring ubuntu language in bridging gaps: A narrative reflection of discussion between members of two Reformed Churches in a rural town of South Africa. Unpublished PhD. thesis. University of Pretoria.
Nationmaster.com 2019. Country information and profiles. Available at https://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/profiles/South-Africa/Crime; https://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/compare/Hungary/South-Africa/Crime [Accessed 17 July 2019].
Numbeo Crime Rankings by Country. 2020. Available at numbeo.com/crime/rankings_by_country.jsp.numbeo.com/crime/rankings_by_country.jsp. [Accessed 13 August 2020].
Osman, R. 2017. Discipline problems in South African schools. Interviews on Radio 702. Available at https://www.withs.ac.za/news/latest-news/2017/2017-09/discipline-problems-insouth-african-schools.html [Accessed 29 October 2018].
Owen, K. 2020. “Ons vir jou, Suid-Afrika.” (We are there for you, South Africa.) Beeld Wed. 9 Sept. (p. 11).
Pasha, N. & Moichela, K.Z. 2011. Inclusive education in South Africa. In A.B. Nsamenang & T.M. Tchombe (Eds.). Handbook of African educational theories and practices (pp. 371–385). Bamenda (Cameroon): Human Development Research Centre.
Pityana, N.B. 2017. Leadership and Ethics in Higher Education: Some perspectives from experience. In: D. Singh (Ed.) Ethics in Higher Education. (pp. 133–163). Geneva: Globethics
Prozesky, M.H. 2007. Conscience: Ethical Intelligence for Global Well-being. Scottsville: University of Kwa Zulu-Natal Press.
Prozesky, M.H. 2009. Cinderella, Survivor and Saviour: African Ethics and the quest for Global Ethic. In M.F. Murove (Ed.). African ethics: an anthology of comparative and applied ethics (pp. 3–13). Scottsville: University of Kwa Zulu-Natal Press.
Shara, S. 2008. uMunthu peace and education. https://s.webarchive content/ umunthu-peaceand–education-malawi (accessed 20 June 2020).
Shutte, A. 2001. Ubuntu: an ethic for a new South Africa. Pietermaritzburg: Cluster publications. South Africa. 1993. Interim Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 200 of 1993. Pretoria: Government Printers
South Africa. 2000. Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act, 4 of 2000. Pretoria: Government Printers.
South Africa. 2001. Manifesto on Values, Education and Democracy. Pretoria: Ministry of Education.
South African Police Services. 2018. SAPS Annual Report 2017/18. Available at www.saps.gov.za
Tutu, D. 1999. No future without forgiveness. London: Ryder. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5842.1999.tb00012.x
United Nations. 1989. Convention on the Rights of the Child. New York: United Nations.
Van Binsbergen, W. 2002. Ubuntu and the globalisation of Southern African thought and society. Available at http://questjournal.net/shikanda/general/ubuntu.htm [Accessed 23 July 2008].
Van der Walt, J L. 2010. Ubuntugogy for the 21st century. Journal of Third World Studies, XXVII (2): 249-266.
Van der Walt, J L. 2020. Interpretivism-constructivism as a research method in the humanities and social sciences – more to it than meets the eye. International Journal of Philosophy and Theology, 8(1):1–19.
Venter, F, Van der Walt, A.J., Van der Walt, C.F.C., Olivier, N.J.J, Pienaar, G.J. & Du Plessis, L.M. 1990. Regsnavorsingsmetode en publikasie. Cape Town: Juta & Co.
Vervliet, C. 2009. The human person. London: Adonis & Abbey.
Willemse, R. 2021. Geweld is nie die antwoord. (Violence is not the answer.) Beeld, 12 May. (p. 14).
##submission.downloads##
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2021 Prof Johannes (Hannes) van der Walt, Prof Izak Oosthuizen
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
