THE EPITOME OF BLACK EXCELLENCE
The aroma of ting ya mabele lingers in the air. The traditional Tswana fermented sorghum porridge is a morning signature dish in the stately kitchen of Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng (55). She cooks it every morning before going off to lead Africa’s most prestigious institution of higher education.
Since taking the reins at the University of Cape Town (UCT) in 2018, Phakeng has remained her authentic self, while working tirelessly to ensure that the institution is not an ivory tower disconnected from reality.
When in Cape Town, Phakeng calls Glenara, home. This is a Victorian double-storey house that is owned by the university and situated in the leafy suburb of Rondebosch. According to SA History Online, the house was designed by renowned architect AW Ackerman “and built by one Mannix for Louis Antony Vintsent in 1882-3”. The property, which was declared a national monument in 1979, has been the official residence of UCT vice-chancellors since 1925.
“All the small pieces that you see, one of which looks as if I picked up on the street, are what makes me feel at home. When I travel, I pick up pieces that speak to me”
GIVING THE HOME A HEART
Phakeng emerges from the home, with imposing colonial architecture, in her signature All Star takkies to welcome us. Nestled in
