Trailblazing SU Prof honoured with prestigious Templeton Prize
THE celebrations continued at Stellenbosch University (SU) as renowned clinical psychologist, Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, was awarded the prestigious 2024 Templeton Prize for her groundbreaking work on forgiveness and healing after trauma.
The university celebrated Gobodo-Madikizela at a special event on Wednesday, October 2 - recognising her significant contributions to understanding human resilience and reconciliation.
The award is only given to individuals who explore deep questions about humanity and the universe; a mission that Gobodo-Madikizela passionately represents.
Her contributions have enhanced the understanding of forgiveness and the pathways to healing after trauma and violence.
During the special event, Gobodo-Madikizela expressed her gratitude to the university.
“I began to realise that it is a celebration, and what made it easy for me was to think of it as a collective celebration and not just of me and my work.
“It is an award that is in my name, but Stellenbosch (University) has made it possible; it is this intellectual home that made it possible, and I'm grateful,” she said.
Receiving the Templeton Prize places Gobodo-Madikizela alongside distinguished individuals like the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu, further affirming her impact.
“This kind of race is often a collaboration with colleagues and people who open doors for you,” Gobodo-Madikizela said.
The professor holds the South African Research Chair (SARChI) for Violent Histories and Transgenerational Trauma and is the founding director of the Centre for the Study of the Afterlife of Violence and the Reparative Quest (AVReQ) at SU.
She is renowned for her concept of “the reparative quest” - a process that seeks to repair the ruptures caused by past violence.
In addition, she received the Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship Award in 2020 and is a Fellow at Harvard University’s Radcliffe Institute.
She has also played a significant role as a member of the Human Rights Violations Committee of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC).
Heather Dill, president of the John Templeton Foundation, emphasised that Gobodo-Madikizela's work positions her as a key figure in exploring the psychological effects of loss and trauma. “Building on her personal experience about the reality of Apartheid in South Africa, she pursued a set of fundamental questions around why do people forgive, especially when they have experienced trauma and loss,” she said.
Dill also pointed out that this is a lifetime achievement award, making Gobodo-Madikizela the 54th recipient of the Templeton Prize.
Professor Wim de Villiers, rector and vice-chancellor of SU, extended his congratulations to Gobodo-Madikizela for the remarkable achievement and expressed his deep gratitude.
“We honour not just the scholarly contributions but the spirit of hope, resilience and compassion that she embodies,” he said.
Gobodo-Madikizela has now committed to donating R8 million to the university, which will be used to establish an endowment scholarship in honour of her parents, Nobantu and Tukela Gobodo, as well as to support the Research and Innovation Strategic Excellence programme and AVReQ.