Siyavuya Mzantsi
FRIENDS and colleagues of Stellenbosch University rector and vice-chancellor Russel Botman held a special memorial service in his honour last night.
About 400 people packed into the the church of Uniting Reformed Church of Southern Africa in Belhar – the same church where the Belhar Confession was adopted in 1986 – declaring racial segregation a sin.
Botman, who was last night described as a leader of transformation and change, died last Friday. He was 60.
“I had a privilege to attend the same high school with Russel in Johannesburg. We were all elected by the church to attend a conference here in Cape Town. Russel taught us many things, including taking responsibility. Another thing he taught us was to be consistent when taking responsibility,” former South African Council of Churches general-secretary Eddie Makue said.
He said Botman was a dear friend, a father and someone who was always willing to help those in need.
“He also played a pivotal role in the politics at the University of the Western Cape. We always got into trouble, but his solution to that was: ‘run away as quick as you can’ when police chased us and wanted to beat us up,” Makue said.
“He taught us to be involved in the struggle of workers and he would remind us never to forget where we came from. He believed that the farmworker must have the same opportunities and hopes as the farm owner,” he said.
Minister of Public Enterprises Lynne Brown said: “As we celebrate his life we must pick up the spear he has left us with and continue with the fight for better lives. The fact that he was the first black vice-chancellor at the University of Stellenbosch gave us many young people hope to pursue their studies.”
Botman’s life was celebrated as the type of leader who South Africa wanted to help build the country and the rest of the world, she said.
“He will be remembered for his humanity,” she said.
Brown said it was a fitting tribute that the service was held at the church because of its significance during apartheid.
Botman’s funeral will be held at the DF Malan Centre at the Coetzenburg sports grounds in Stellenbosch tomorrow.
Stellenbosch University expects thousands of mourners to attend the funeral and has requested mourners to be seated at 9.30am for the service.