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Judge Zak Yacoob speaker at Russel Botman Memorial Lecture
Author: Corporate Communication / Korporatiewe Kommunikasie
Published: 17/10/2017

​Judge Zak Yacoob, retired judge of the Constitutional Court, will be the speaker at the annual Russel Botman Memorial Lecture. The lecture, held in honour of the late Prof Russel Botman, former Rector and Vice-Chancellor of Stellenbosch University (SU), is hosted by the Faculty of Theology in collaboration with the curatoria of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa, the Dutch Reformed Church and the Beyers Naudé Centre for Public Theology.

  • The event is to take place at 18:30 in the Attie van Wijk Auditorium, Faculty of Theology, 171 Dorp Street, Stellenbosch, on Wednesday 18 October 2017.

The theme of Judge Yacoob's lecture is “Religious philosophy, practice and our Constitution". Prof Sandra Liebenberg, HF Oppenheimer Chair in Human Rights Law at SU's Faculty of Law, will respond to the lecture.

Also on the programme is the unveiling of a portrait painting by artist Fiona Metcalfe and the launch of a celebratory volume on the life and legacy of Russel Botman.  Compiled by Albert Grundlingh, Ruda Landman and Nico Koopman. The names of the recipients of the Russel Botman Bursary Fund will also be announced.

Russel Botman joined Stellenbosch University in 2000 as Professor in the Department of Practical Theology and Missiology. He was also the founder of the Beyers Naudé Centre for Public Theology. In 2002 he was appointed Vice-Rector: Teaching and in 2007 he became Stellenbosch University's first black Rector and Vice-Chancellor. Under his visionary leadership, the HOPE Project was launched in 2010, emphasising social relevance, equal opportunities and academic and research excellence. Vision 2030, adopted in 2013, is part of his legacy: that Stellenbosch University becomes an innovative, inclusive and future oriented institution.

Botman unexpectedly passed away on 28 June 2014.

  • Liaise with Helette van der Westhuizen at tel 021 808 9560 or via e-mail at hvdwest@sun.ac.za for more information.​​