by Phaphama Tshisikhawe
Featuring a powerful tribute by Prof Pitika Ntuli to the legacy of renowned photojournalist, Dr Sam Nzima, the 5th Annual Dr Sam Nzima Memorial Lecture was hosted at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Mbombela Campus on 16 June 2025.
Organised in partnership with the Sam Nzima Foundation, the event drew dignitaries, including members of the Nzima and Mazibuko Royal Houses from eSwatini and South Africa. The highlight was a compelling keynote address by Prof Pitika Ntuli, a celebrated South African sculptor, poet, academic and anti-apartheid activist, who honoured Nzima’s iconic contribution to the anti-apartheid struggle.
Prof Pitika Ntuli
Prof Ntuli’s powerful address
Prof Pitika Ntuli, who received a Doctor of Language Practice (honoris causa) from TUT in 2024's keynote reflected on the 49 years since the Soweto Uprising. Prof Ntuli explored South Africa’s democratic journey, questioning whether there is more to celebrate or regret. He also paid tribute to Dr Nzima, saying: “Sam Nzima didn’t just take a photo; he exposed a wound and challenged the world to speak out.”
A former exile who spent 32 years in Swaziland and the UK after imprisonment for his activism, Prof Ntuli drew parallels between his own experiences and Nzima’s sacrifices. He highlighted the revolutionary power of art, likening Dr Nzima’s photograph to his own sculptures, such as the “anti-monument” to the Silverton Three in Soweto, made from found objects to narrate stories of resistance.
Prof Ntuli further described it as capturing “the dust, the sweat, the teargas, the blood and the tears” of 16 June 1976. The image’s global impact came at a steep cost, as Dr Nzima was forced to abandon photojournalism and retreat to Lilydale, Mpumalanga, while Mbuyisa Makhubu fled into exile, never to return.
Thulani Nzima, son of Dr Nzima and Chairperson of the Sam Nzima Foundation, commented: “The Hector Pieterson picture became a rallying point for the international community and liberation movements in their fight against the apartheid government.”
Thulani Nzima, son of Dr Nzima and Chairperson of the Sam Nzima Foundation
Dr Sam Nzima, who passed away in 2018, is remembered for his evocative 1976 photograph of 12-year-old Hector Pieterson, fatally wounded during the Soweto Uprising. The image, capturing Makhubu carrying the lifeless body of Hector alongside a distraught Antoinette Sithole, became a global symbol of apartheid’s brutality.
The 5th Annual Dr Sam Nzima Memorial Lecture, elevated by Prof Ntuli’s keynote, inspired attendees to honour South Africa’s history while advocating for a just future. As Prof Ntuli’s words resonated across the TUT Mbombela Campus, they underscored the enduring power of Nzima’s photograph and the ongoing fight for equality.
The lecture series honours Dr Nzima’s courage and the sacrifices of those who fought for South Africa’s democracy. “It reminds us that democracy came at a huge price. Lives were lost and heroes like Sam Nzima must never be forgotten,” Nzima said.
The lecture was part of a weekend of events, including the Sam Nzima Charity Golf Day and TUT’s netball and soccer semi-finals on 15 June. Held on Youth Day, the lecture brought together community members, academics and dignitaries to reflect on South Africa’s past and future.
Attendees came in numbers to honour the enduring legacy of Dr Sam Nzima.
Prof Tinyiko Maluleke welcomed attendees at the 5th Dr Sam Nzima Memorial lecture.