The coincidence of globalisation with the political shift in South Africa at the end of the last century has informed and reinforced societal change with a range of contested outcomes. As the physical manifestation of any set of power relations, space and its transformation have become important measures of this change. Demanding new forms of engagement, teaching and practice have become challenged to respond in creative ways to meet the needs of a severely damaged society. Given the gravitas of the colonial project, this is proving to be a project confronted by significant resistance.
This lecture will attempt to locate the productive dimensions of this change within the context of Mandela's legacy. Reflecting on the complexity and contradictions of the post-apartheid era, it will attempt to identify constructive transformation and its challenges within the context of two decades of democratic governance.