Justice and Reconciliation: Lord Hastings' powerful message at Stellenbosch Social Justice Lecture

The 6th Annual Social Justice Lecture at Stellenbosch University on Thursday evening emerged as a powerful call to action, where global and local perspectives converged to address the fundamental challenges of building a just society.

Lord Michael Hastings of Scarisbrick Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE), an independent peer in the House of Lords and Chairman of School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) University, London, delivered a keynote lecture that reframed the concept of sacrifice in social justice, presenting it not as a burden to be endured, but as a conscious choice to be embraced.

The lecture, hosted by Professor Thuli Madonsela at the Centre for Social Justice, challenged conventional thinking about societal renewal.

Among the distinguished guests was Justice Albie Sachs, a towering figure in South Africa’s struggle against apartheid, whose personal journey embodies the themes of the evening. Having lost his arm and sight in one eye due to a car bomb attack orchestrated by South African security forces in 1988, Sachs has remained steadfast in his belief in reconciliation and justice.

He played a crucial role in drafting the country’s post-apartheid Constitution, a document that serves as a beacon of democracy and human rights.

Lord Michael Hastings’ lecture was a powerful meditation on the need for sacrifice as a deliberate choice rather than an imposed burden.

“Renewal and reconciliation must work for all, not just for those who have suffered. Sacrifice must be a choice. And that choice has to come from the conviction shared in common, the kind of nation you want to secure,” he said.

He drew upon global historical lessons and his personal work in social justice, emphasising the isolationist tendencies that plague both wealthy and struggling societies.

“The richer societies become, the more isolated and individualistic they become,” he said, pointing to a growing need for connectedness and collective responsibility.

The evening took on an even more poignant tone when Justice Sachs spoke, sharing his reflections on forgiveness, optimism, and the transformative power of interconnection.

“It had a special resonance for me,” he said.

“I met the man who put the bomb in my car through the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. And that is something beautifully South African. The greatest right of all is not to be left alone — it is to connect with our fellow human beings.”

His words served as a reminder that justice is not just about retribution but about building a society where former enemies can stand together, not as adversaries but as co-creators of a shared future.

He referenced the case of Eugene de Kock, the former apartheid-era commander who was responsible for brutal acts of violence but later came forward to confess and seek redemption.

“He made his contribution in that way. He never could wipe out what he had done, but it was his sign, his commitment to a new reality,” said Hastings.

Lord Hastings expanded the discussion beyond South Africa, touching on the global challenges of misinformation, inequality, and societal polarisation. Citing a recent World Economic Forum report, he highlighted that “misinformation and disinformation are the number one risks affecting the world in 2025".

Yet, despite these challenges, he urged the audience to resist cynicism.

“We must not give in to the desperate views of those who say, ‘be silent, withdraw, disengage.’ We must resist innate depression,” he insisted.

Lord Hastings shared the story of the late former US President Jimmy Carter and Mary Prince — a young black woman wrongly convicted of murder, whom Carter and his wife brought into their home as a nanny, against all societal expectations.

“That is social justice, when a leader takes a decision in the face of the state to do the remarkable, to stand firm in their faith and principles.”

Similarly, Sachs and Madonsela reflected on the legacies of Mandela and Tambo, leaders whose deep reserves of generosity, despite suffering, enabled South Africa to transition from apartheid to democracy.

“That generosity was not a sign of weakness,” Sachs asserted.

“It was a sign of strength. A belief that human beings can connect.”

As the event concluded, Professor Madonsela summed up the essence of the evening.

“Leaders don’t need a title. They don’t need permission. They just need to read the room and decide what is the best thing to do,” she said.