Why UWC chose to keep its name instead of honouring Allan Boesak

The University of the Western Cape has rejected a proposal to rename the institution after theologian and anti-apartheid activist Allan Aubrey Boesak, saying it will retain its current name linked to its geographical identity. The University of the Western Cape has turned down a proposal to rename the institution after Allan Boesak, a prominent theologian and anti-apartheid activist. The university said that it prefers to keep its long-established name, which is linked to its geographical identity.

The proposal was submitted in February by The Thinking Masses of South Africa Foundation (TMoSAF), led by Bishop Dr Clyde N. Ramalaine, as part of a campaign marking Boesak’s 80th birthday. The foundation argued that renaming the university would recognise Boesak’s “lifelong and transformative contributions to justice, scholarship, liberation theology, and global transformative leadership.” However, in a formal response dated March 11, UWC’s registrar Dr Nita Lawton-Misra, writing on behalf of the university’s senior management, said the institution had considered the proposal but decided against changing its name.

“The University’s Senior Management has given the matter careful consideration, including taking note of written views expressed by members of our alumni and the public,” Lawton-Misra said. “After deliberation, the University’s view is that it would be preferable to retain its current name.” According to the university, the name has become closely linked to its identity and reputation over several decades. “The University has carried this name since the 1960s, and over the decades it has become strongly associated with the institution’s identity, reputation, and academic standing, both nationally and internationally,” the letter states. Lawton-Misra added that the name also reflects the university’s location and inclusivity.