Athambile Masola

Athambile Masola (born 5 February 1987) is a South African writer, poet, researcher and academic. She was born in the Eastern Cape and grew up in East London. She studied at Rhodes University, where she became a Mandela Rhodes Scholar and completed a master's degree in Education. Masola later obtained a PhD from Rhodes University. Her doctoral research focused on Black women's life writing and historiography. Quotes "I grew up believing I could be anything I wanted to be in the world. I was able to use my imagination because I was exposed to various ideas throughout my learning at school." Athambile Masola, Mail & Guardian, 2012. "I wanted to be a teacher because, beyond the limitations of the classroom and the challenges we face every day, teaching is about being part of the growth of other individuals." Athambile Masola, Mail & Guardian, 2012. "I want to be a teacher because it is the one profession I have realised requires me to live with my heart on my sleeve, unapologetically." Athambile Masola, Mail & Guardian, 2012. "Love is one of the most profound ways to respond to these social pathologies. And by love I’m not talking about a feeling. I’m talking about an existential and metaphysical orientation if we are to keep ourselves whole, if we are to sustain ourselves." Athambile Masola, Mail & Guardian, 2018. Some debates we had were surprisingly fundamental, even regarding terms like “Black,” “Bantu,” and “brown.” These words carry different political meanings depending on context Translation is never just linguistic; it’s also political, historical, and cultural Language reflects ideology, and when translating a text rooted in Black Consciousness, every word carries weight I wanted readers to feel that the book speaks to them in a living language—not one that feels distant or inaccessible. Literature plays a crucial role because language is not just communication; it embodies culture, memory, and knowledge One risk we face is epistemicide—the disappearance of knowledge systems as languages decline. Thus, every text written, translated, or taught in isiXhosa or other African languages helps protect that knowledge and ensures our stories, ideas, and ways of thinking remain alive Black Consciousness teaches us that dignity isn’t something we request; it’s something we inherently possess. We continue to live in a world shaped by racial hierarchies and inequalities A significant issue in our education system is that children are not always taught in their home languages long enough Research consistently shows that strong literacy begins in the language a child speaks at home Being connected to Biko’s legacy in this way feels almost ancestral. I never imagined I would be part of something so closely linked to his ideas and his family’s history. It serves as a reminder that our intellectual work is part of a larger lineage I hope people become excited about ideas again. I want them to recognise the power of language and its ability to connect across time and generations Through this translation, we clearly affirm: Biko lives, his voice is still with us Women In Charge: Dr Athambile Masola on literature, language and the legacy of Steve Biko 17 July 2026 If people like me won’t construct history, people like me will fall out of history One of the things is that you find this information, but then what do you do with it? Do you simply digitalise it and leave it online and hope that people will find it? FALLEN OUT OF HISTORY August 2020 So if I were to pinpoint a misconception, is that in the midst of the decline (in all the contexts listed in the question), people lose hope (yes, there’s a lot of that), but the opposite sometimes happens: people fill up stadiums for political parties which did not exist 15 years ago. This is perhaps the most post-colonial experience: when the cracks begin to show, and the liberation promises are broken, people choose strategies towards aliveness. I still remember how exciting it was to be part of the “rainbow nation.” There was so much excitement and hope. I never anticipated that the rainbow nation euphoria would be short-lived At the heart of any newspaper is the impetus for circulation I decided to write the women I was writing and teaching about a letter as though they were still alive. This is my own attempt at reminding myself that they once lived and had lives; they are not merely caricatures who are meant to fulfill our limited imagination about Black women’s lives. It seems so bizarre to me that the one group that has been so central to my personal survival can so easily be rendered as insignificant in other quarters of intellectual life In my world, Black women are the most interesting and complex figures, and to survive an education system that foregrounds the lives of white men from the colonial period is something that will never cease to amaze me One of my greatest joys has been watching how I have joined into an intellectual conversation other feminists have had since before I was born The End of South African Apartheid: An Interview with Dr. Athambile Masola 29 April 2024 External links Masola Biography Dr Athambile Masola received her PhD from Rhodes University Category: Living people Category: 1987 births Category: South Africans Category: Writers Category: Academics from South Africa Category:Poets from South Africa