Frederik Van Zyl Slabbert: scholar, politician, progressive thinker, businessman. Van Zyl Slabbert had a significant connection with Stellenbosch University throughout his life starting from his days as a student in Wilgenhof Residence in the early 1960’s. He completed his Bachelor of Arts here, as well as his Honours in Sociology. He completed his Masters in Sociology under the supervision of Prof Dian Joubert in 1964 and later, in 1967, his PhD under Prof SP Cilliers. He also lectured in the Department of Sociology. He then held various academic teaching positions in South Africa before his political career was initiated and he famously became the youngest leader of the official opposition in our country’s history in 1979. Slabbert remained an accomplished scholar and author and published several books in his lifetime. In 1986 Slabbert resigned from Parliament and then focused his leadership on a number of significant events which would ultimately influence the history and future of our country, for example the founding of IDASA and leading the delegation of Afrikaners to Dakar in 1987. His connection with our institution, however, came full circle when he was appointed Chancellor of Stellenbosch University in 2008. This connection is of course also further perpetuated by the FVZS Institute for Student Leadership Development, launched in 2011.

Recent Submissions

View more