![]() ![]() He was often seen in the midst of confrontations between students and police. Preaching the virtues of hard work, humane values and reasoned discussion, he demonstrated his moral courage in promoting those values even at a time of immense political upheaval and violence by the apartheid police. He will be remembered for his role as a social rights and political activist, a distinguished educator and historian, and a man who fought to open the doors of learning to all, as the first black Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Western Cape (UWC).Ī naturally civil, sensible and compassionate man, Prof Van der Ross was UWC’s Vice-Chancellor during the Soweto Uprising in June 1976, and oversaw UWC’s transition from being a College of the University of South Africa to a fully autonomous university in 1984. ![]() Richard Ernest “Dick” van der Ross was born in Plumstead, Cape Town on 17 November 1921, to parents who were both teachers - no doubt partly why he was such a fervent believer in the power of education to change lives. If you wish to attend, please send an email to Melody Williams. We invite you to attend this special memorial service. ![]() The University of the Western Cape will pay respect to the life and contributions of Professor Richard van der Ross at his Memorial Service at UWC on Thursday, 22 March 2018. Celebrating the life of the late Prof van der Ross ![]()
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