Professor Nyameko Barney Pityana: human rights champion

Degree: Doctor of Law (LLD), Saturday 22 April 2017 dent of Convocation stated in heid government. a 2016 media interview. He went into exile in 1978

Born in Uitenhage, Pityana and studied Theology at King's is a University of Fort Hare College, London and trained graduate who co-founded the for the Ministry in Oxford. South African Students' OrHe went on to serve as an ganisation (SASO) of the Black Anglican curate in BirmingConsciousness Movement with ham. Bantubonke Biko. From 1988 to 1992 he was

He was also a member of the Director of the Programme the African National Congress to Combat Racism at the Youth League. World Council of Churches in

Pityana received a degree Geneva. from the University of South Pityana returned to South Africa in 1976. Africa in 1993, following the

He was barred from practicend of apartheid. ing law and any public activity He continued working in in Port Elizabeth by the apart- theology and human rights, An outspoken champion for human rights, active in South Africa's Black Consciousness Movement in the mid-1960s, Professor Nyameko Barney Pityana has been vocal in South Africa’s fight for a true democracy to be enjoyed by all its citizens.

“If we are to overcome the challenges of poverty, unemployment, health, education, land restitution, the economy, bitterness, anger, we need men and women full of goodness, faith, truth and love,” the University of Cape Town's Presi- completing a PhD in Religious Studies at the University of Cape Town in 1995.

He was appointed a member of the South African Human Rights Commission in 1995 and served as chair of the commission from 1995 to 2001.

He also served on the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights at the Organisation of African Unity in 1997.

Professor Pityana became Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of South Africa in 2001 and held the position for nine years.

In August 2002 he was appointed as Professor ad homi- nem in Unisa’s Department of Constitutional, International and Indigenous Law.

His work in human rights has been widely recognised and in December 2002, he was awarded an Honourable Mention at the 2002 Unesco Prize for Human Rights Education.

He was the rector of the College of the Transfiguration (Anglican) in Grahamstown from 2011 until 2014.

He is the President of Convocation of the University of Cape Town and a vocal critic of the present ANC leadership under Jacob Zuma.