Book Launch: Decolonizing Pedagogy in Post-Apartheid South Africa

On Tuesday, 9 September 2025, the University of Cape Town hosted the launch of Decolonizing Pedagogy in Post-Apartheid South Africa: A Post-Vygotskian Ethicopolitical and Ontoepistemic Postulation, authored by Associate Professor Azwihangwisi Edward Muthivhi of the Department of Early Childhood Education at the University of Pretoria.

The event, held in the Neville Alexander Building, featured a keynote address by Prof Muthivhi. In his presentation, he examined the philosophical and epistemological foundations of post-apartheid pedagogy, highlighting the challenges of entrenched Western orthodoxies and solipsistic methodologies that position learners as passive recipients of knowledge.

In response, Prof Muthivhi proposed a decolonising pedagogy that emphasises ethical grounding and the performative enactment of culturally situated knowledge practices. This approach, he argued, enables learners to engage critically with their realities, develop agency, and pursue meaningful self-identity and social transformation.

The forthcoming book is published by Cambridge University Press as part of the Elements in Critical Issues in Teacher Education series and will be available in print and online. Importantly, it will also be released as an Open Access publication, ensuring wide accessibility for scholars, educators, and students.