Senior Counsel Adv Tembeka Ngcukaitobi says it is impossible to talk about having talent today without understanding how we got here, urging students at the University of Limpopo (UL) to take their place in history and deconstruct the unholy trinity of apartheid capitalism.
Adv Ngcukaitobi was delivering the 8th Archbishop Thabo Mokgoba Public Lecture at UL, which focused on “Skills Development and Rural Livelihood.” The annual public lecture is organised by the University in collaboration with the Archbishop Thabo Makgoba Development Trust.
He believes that land is still a strong predictor of poverty in South Africa and that the future of this country is in the hands of citizens, who must work harder to create the future they all desire.
The Acting Judge of the South African Land Claims Court added that when people talk about the return of the land, they should mean the return of the economy. “When black people make this call, they are often stigmatised.” “Nearly half of South Africa’s population is considered chronically poor,” he said.
“Structural inequalities cannot be dissolved by labour and market policies alone. One of the solutions is to give assets to poor people so they could use those assets to relieve them from poverty,” Adv Ngcukaitobi maintained.
The Trust has a greater social impact, according to Archbishop Thabo Makgoba, by addressing social, and economic challenges and focusing on three specific areas: education, social justice, and rural development.
Prof Mahlo Mokgalong, Vice-Chancellor and Principal at UL, described the partnership with Archbishop Thabo Makgoba Development Trust as an essential tool for addressing food insecurity and promoting best agricultural practices. “The university values the collaboration because the lecture was not intended to be a fruitless gathering,” Prof Mokgalong stated.
By Malatji Monyelegwete