The Sussex Africa Centre is proud to present a lecture on this subject by the South African Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Bonginkosi Emmanuel "Blade" Nzimande, MP.

Prof. Nzimande previously served as Minister of Higher Education and Minister of Transport. He was the first Chairperson of Parliament's Select Committee on Education in post-apartheid South Africa.

From 1998 to 2022, he was General Secretary of the South African Communist Party and since then has been National Chairperson of the Party.

Dr Nzimande holds a PhD in Sociology from the University of Natal (now part of the University of KwaZulu-Natal). His dissertation was titled "The Corporate Guerillas": Class Formation and the African Corporate Petty Bourgeoisie in Post-1973 South Africa". He went on to lecture at the University of Zululand and at the University of Natal.

Dr Nzimande has published several academic papers and co-wrote a book called Children of War: The Impact of Political Violence on Schooling.

He was awarded an honorary professorship by the Beijing Jiaotong University in recognition of his role as an educationalist and his contribution to strengthening relations between South Africa and China.

To register for this event - click here

By: Nicola Giles
Last updated: Thursday, 12 February 2026