Southern African universities have been commended for giving recognition to the importance of African indigenous knowledge systems, thus enhancing African traditions. 

Pro Vice Chancellor of the National University of Lesotho, professor Tiisetso Makatjane, has said the newly formed partnership between the universities of the three countries of Lesotho, South Africa and Zimbabwe should ensure that modern cultures do not excel at the expense of African cultures. 

Speaking at a five day workshop on enhancing endogenous development in Africa (ENEDA, professor Makatjane urged Africans to come together to share experiences and best practices, so that together they can develop their traditions and cultures, and stop thinking that acting and doing things they way Westerners do is the only way to survival.

“The time has come for us to go back and ask our elders why they did things the way they did, and we with our knowledge of modern technology start to enhance and not kill as we did in the past,” he said. 

The theme was also taken up by the Regional Programme Coordinator of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), Mr. Abraham Mwadiwa, who said the Continent needs to revive its identity and heritage and thus realise its renaissance dreams.

“This occasion heralds the beginning of a more realistic process of collaborative action where SADC universities, as beacons of Western-based knowledge can work with traditional institutions, with no condescending attitude, but as a way for them to learn from them,” he said.

02 June 2005