Two Stellies Academics Receive SA’s Highest Civilian Honour

Professors Tulio de Oliveira and Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela have received top honours in recognition of their incredible work in science, society and humanity.

Stellenbosch, South Africa (26 May 2026) – President Cyril Ramaphosa recently presented the 2026 National Orders, the highest civilian honours in the country. The awards go to individuals who’ve made an exceptional impact on society, science, and humanity.

Among the recipients were Stellenbosch University’s Professor Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela and Professor Tulio de Oliveira.

Prof Gobodo-Madikizela received the Order of the Baobab in bronze, an honour that recognises outstanding service to community, democracy, and peace-building.

As the Director of the Centre for the Study of the Afterlife of Violence and the Reparative Quest (AVReQ) at Stellenbosch University, her work focuses on how societies reckon with deep historical trauma. She is internationally recognised for her research into forgiveness, empathy, and reconciliation, looking at how communities can break generational cycles of violence.

A former member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, she became widely known for her book, A Human Being Died that Night, which explored her conversations with apartheid assassin Eugene de Kock.

Her decades of scholarship have provided vital insights into how people find a path toward restoration after conflict. The national honour follows her receipt of the global Templeton Prize, which celebrates contributions to humanity’s deepest questions.

“In many ways, this honour recognises not only my scholarship on forgiveness, but also the moments in which South Africa showed its human face to the world – the moral imagination to honour humanity and to choose truth over denial. To receive this acknowledgement from my own country fills me with a deep sense of gratitude and thanksgiving. It is an honour far beyond anything I could adequately express,” Gobodo-Madikizela said.

Professor de Oliveira was awarded the Order of Mapungubwe in gold, the highest tier of an honour reserved for South Africans who have achieved international excellence in science and innovation.

As the Director of the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation, Prof De Oliveira became a vital global voice during the Covid-19 pandemic. Leading a team of local and international collaborators, he was instrumental in identifying both the Beta and Omicron variants of the virus.

This groundbreaking work placed South African genomic science at the forefront of public health. His leadership in tracking epidemic threats earned him a spot on TIME magazine’s list of the world’s most influential people and saw him named one of the top ten scientists in the world by the journal Nature. Today, his team continues to build large-scale collaborations and train the next generation of African scientists to prepare for future health threats.

“We warmly congratulate Prof De Oliveira on this exceptional and richly deserved recognition. This award not only honours a remarkable scientific contribution to global public health but also affirms the growing impact and leadership of African science on the world stage.” said Prof Deresh Ramjugernath, SU’s Rector and Vice-Chancellor.

Congratulations to both professors for this richly deserved national recognition!

Sources: Linked above.

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