The academic community is mourning the loss of visionary former University of the Western Cape rector and vice-chancellor professor Brian O’Connell.
The 77-year-old, originally from District Six, passed away in hospital on Sunday night following a long illness.
Goddaughter and niece, Dr Siona O’Connell, spoke fondly of the man whom family and close friends called “Brympie”.
He was a passionate cricket and badminton player, and were it not for apartheid’s discriminatory laws, he would probably gone on to represent the country, she said.
“He was brave. He was determined, you take positions, you call things out, you don't sit on the fence and he would have our backs.”
O’Connell had been diagnosed with a neurological disease, which robbed him of his ability to speak, she said.
“So for somebody who lived by words and lived by ideas, I think it was one of the cruellest diseases but in that lesson, we all had to learn new ways of communication and new ways of being.”
Professor O’Connell’s funeral service will take place at the Holy Cross Catholic Church District Six at 10am on Saturday. A memorial service will also be held at UWC in September.
In a statement released by UWC, current vice-chancellor, Professor Tyrone Pretorius, said O’Connell served as rector from 2001 to 2014, and at one of the most challenging times in the history of the university.
“Professor O’Connell, who was also a student at UWC in the mid-1960s, took the helm at a time when the University was facing the aftermath of staff retrenchments, financial vulnerability, the significant loss of academic leadership, evolving enrolment trends, and a despondent campus community.
“Professor O’Connell’s legacy is one of passionate conviction, intellectual clarity and engaged leadership. As we mourn the loss of a great man, we also celebrate his extraordinary life and the lasting impact he has had on our university and our society.”
He leaves behind his wife, Judith and children Amanda-Leigh and Bryan.
The UWC flag will be flown at half-mast this week in his honour and remembrance.