Pretoria: The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Blade Nzimande, has expressed his shock and great sadness at the news of the passing of Professor Noel Chabani Manganyi – a distinguished academic, scholar, intellectual activist, psychologist, and public servant.
According to South African Government News Agency, Manganyi passed away on Tuesday, 31 October 2024, at the age of 84. Minister Nzimande shared his personal connection with Manganyi, acknowledging their shared background in psychology and their united efforts as activists against apartheid. They worked together in the post-apartheid reconstruction and development of South Africa’s education system, with Manganyi serving as the first Director-General of the Department of Education.
Nzimande highlighted Manganyi’s significant contributions to intellectual discourse through his writings, including ‘Being Black in the World’, which was a prescribed text for Nzimande’s psychology class in 1980. Manganyi’s academic career was marked
by numerous influential roles, such as establishing the Department of Psychology at the then University of Transkei and serving as Vice-Chancellor at the University of the North, among others.
Manganyi’s literary contributions include a series of monographs and biographies of prominent figures, as well as a memoir titled ‘Apartheid and the Making of a Black Psychologist’. His work has been recognized with several prestigious awards, reflecting his impact on understanding the effects of racism and colonialism in South Africa.
Minister Nzimande conveyed his condolences to Manganyi’s family and emphasized the late professor’s legacy as an incorruptible public servant and a selfless intellectual. The memorial service will be held at the University of the Witwatersrand on 6 November 2024, followed by the funeral service at St Michael’s Anglican Church in Sandton on 8 November 2024.