Brian Forbes will be remembered for serving as role model
VETERAN educationist, virtuoso and philanthropist Brian Forbes has died in Cape Town at the age of 68.
He was born as the middle child of Elizabeth and the well-known Cape Times journalist Joe Forbes on June 30, 1947. He grew up in District Six and later in Eden Road, Walmer Estate.
He was actively involved in the Eon Group as a child, attending speech and drama, played the violin, and was a member of the Cape Town Boys Choir. He loved singing and music until his dying day.
He attended Harold Cressy High School, where he matriculated, and then pursued academic, tertiary further education at UCT, where he studied music and mathematics, but later decided to study engineering.
He met the lovely Magdalene Cupido in 1974 and after a whirlwind courtship, they married on December 16, 1976 in the Methodist Church in Cape Town.
He has been actively involved in the Methodist Church his whole life in various capacities – in youth work in his earlier years, the men’s group, choirs and was a society steward.
On a personal level he was a mentor and father figure to many as he had a real passion for young people and helping them achieve their potential in all areas of life.
He joined CPUT in 1990 as a civil engineering lecturer for eight years, and served two years as head of department. In the year 2000, he was appointed as director of co-operative education, and was responsible for curriculum quality management and industry liaison for work-integrated learning programmes for the next eight years.
From 2009 to 2010, he was acting CEO for the Centre of Extended Learning in promoting collaborative partnerships between higher education, FET colleges and industry.
He was a board member and former executive officer of the Southern African Society for Co-operative Education, and served on the council of False Bay FET College.
He facilitated capacity-building and professional development initiatives in support of skills development through public-private partnerships in creating work-placement opportunities for pupils to enhance graduate attributes and employability.
He also served as deputy chairperson on the False Bay TVET College Council.
Once he started lecturing, he developed a passion for workintegrated learning and co-operative education, and completed his Master’s in that field.
In his post-official retirement age, he continued to consult and work in his field of expertise, serving on SASCE (South African Society of Co-operative Education).
He was passionate about his involvement with the District Six Ministerial Reference Group, representing claimants in the D6 land restitution process.
The D6 reference group has the following to say about the late Brian Forbes: “Brian worked tirelessly and made many personal sacrifices to address the many complex challenges to accelerate the return of all claimants.
“He demonstrated sterling leadership and contributed significantly to place the D6RG on a path of constructive and meaningful engagement with government to deal with the return of the claimants in a holistic manner.
“He served as an exemplary role model for the community he represented, and fought bravely against great odds in the best interest of the D6 claimants.
“We will always remember you with much love and gratitude for your leadership and fearlessness to tackle issues head-on.”
He is survived by his wife, three children, two grandchildren and his son-in-law.