Imbizo is a Nguni (a grouping of certain African languages) word for a traditional community gathering called by the chief to solve pertinent community issues. Since the democratic government of post 1994 in South Africa, imbizo as was brought as a participatory approach into the mainstream by the government to engage with communities.
Revisiting an age old African Participatory approach: The Rebirth of Imbizo, 2012
The rise in nationalism in Europe and the United States of America of the last few years shook the foundations of our trust in and understanding of democratic processes. Here in South Africa the FeesMustFall movement highlighted the deficiencies in or higher education environment and our broader democracy. FeesMustFall brought our attention to complexities such as epistemic access, participation and inclusion in higher education. It further reignited debates on race, gender and language participation, economic inclusion, democratic institutional cultures and decolonized knowledge production. It would appear that the conventional democratic processes, formats and styles are more and more perceived to be far removed from lived realities and too rigid in an environment that is ever changing.
It is thus crucial that young leaders in Higher Education learn to master competencies which enable them to navigate complexity and build connected democratic and reflective communities. These skills would include developing different ways of communicating the democratic ideals and values that institutions like key stakeholders promotes. Beyond the existing leadership workshops and academic lectures, universities have to enable public engagements that incorporate creative arts, intercultural experiences, research, innovation and participatory learning to expand the reach and depth of democracy building.
Stellenbosch University has crafted its 2040 vison with an aim to address these challenges to democracy building and leadership in South Africa and the world. The university’s Institutional Intent Strategy document spells out the university vison as: inclusive, innovative and future focused: a place of discovery and excellence where both staff and students are thought leaders in advancing knowledge in the service of all stakeholders.
Stellenbosch University’s Centre for the Advancement of Social Impact and Transformation fulfils a central coordinating role in offering professional and inter-institutional support to the process of realizing Vision 2040. In fulfilling this mandate, the CASIT partners with key stakeholders to implement the Imbizo 365 program (“gathering”). Imbizo 365 is a yearlong democracy building series that offers a synergised model for a campus community to engage. The Imbizo 365 calendar coordinates monthly activities in line with the South African celebrated democracy days, and provides opportunities and platforms for faculties, student communities and leadership structures to connect with South African and African democracy building discourses.
The Imbizo365 Calendar activities utilises various methodologies such as creative arts, film discussions, debates and excursions to facilitate reflection on eight calendar themes. These themes include human rights and social justice, democracy, Afrocentrism and consciousness, youth leadership and innovation, social impact and engaged citizenship, gender issues, disability, heritage and identity.
For more information or enquiries, please contact Shanté Neff at shante@sun.ac.za
