Prof Maluleke’s Faces and Phases of Resilience launched in Polokwane
by Phaphama Tshisikhawe
Once upon a time … “the sun was beating down on the crowd which sat in almost perfect silence. In the midst of that crowd there was a carefree toddler”. So begins Prof Tinyiko Maluleke’s gripping memoire, Faces and Phases of Resilience: A Memoir of a Special Kind. Maluleke was the innocent toddler amidst the crowd at his mother’s funeral.
The book was launched in Polokwane on 1 August 2025, before an audience that included academics, a few royals, students, community leaders, authors and book lovers. Cutting across each of the 49 chapters of the book, is the theme of resilience. However, instead of providing philosophical and theoretical definitions, the book uses original stories of real people and actual places to portray, illustrate and showcase resilience, in all its magnificence and all its ambivalence.
Prof Tinyiko Maluleke, Vice-Chancellor and Principal, alongside Dr Phophi Ramathuba, Limpopo Premier, at the launch of Faces and Phases of Resilience, A Memoir of a Special Kind.
According to this book, resilience is a grandmother and grandfather who – in trying circumstances - raised not only your Nelson Mandelas, Reuel Khozas, Desmond Tutus and Thabo Mbekis; but also the likes of Tinyiko Maluleke, Tshilidzi Marwala, Tsakani Maluleke, Mosa Mashabela, Siya Kolisi, Puleng Lenkabula, Vusi Mahlasela and Nokuthula Sibiya, among many others. To this end, this is also a book of gratitude. In this book, the reader is introduced to the rivers, mountains, trees and forests of resilience stretching from the Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal, to Mpumalanga and Limpopo – selected places that embody, inspire and sustain the resilience of villagers and township dwellers.
Part of the focus of the book is the resilience of communities in the face of the legacy of Apartheid, corruption, the violence of poverty, xenophobia and GBV. As such, this is, in part a book of lament and mourning what in two chapters is called, ‘the country we are losing’ and ‘our bloody country.’ And yet, because of the preponderance of references to music and humour in the book, in his remarks at the book launch, Maluleke also called it a book showcasing “the melody of resilience” as well as “the comedy of resilience”. This in spite of the heartrending final chapter titled, “the day I die”.
Building on the memoir’s resonance, Limpopo Premier, Dr Phophi Ramathuba, delivered a stirring congratulatory address, describing the work as “a beacon of strength and reflection, particularly for women navigating adversity.” Echoing this sentiment, Prof Lesiba Teffo, a prominent scholar and discussant, praised the memoir’s intellectual depth. “Maluleke’s work is a tapestry of lived experience and scholarly insight, offering a lens through which we can better understand resilience in the face of systemic injustice,” he stated.
Lynette Magasa, CEO of Boniswa Group, community leader and respected activist.
Prof Lesiba Teffo, Prominent Scholar and Discussant at the launch of Prof Maluleke’s Faces and Phases of Resilience: A Memoir of a Special Kind, held in Limpopo.
Adding a community perspective, Lynette Magasa, a respected activist and leader, described the memoir as “a love letter to the unsung heroes of our nation, especially the women who have carried our communities through unimaginable hardship ... a mirror to our country’s soul, reflecting both its pain and its potential.” Books were available for purchase and signing, and Prof Maluleke’s warm engagement with readers further strengthened the event’s atmosphere of connection and reflection.
Faces and Phases of Resilience is available at major bookstores and online platforms. Already earning widespread acclaim, the memoir is a “must-read” for those seeking to understand both what makes the indomitable Maluleke tick, and South Africa’s intricate history and its aspirations for a more inclusive future.
Please click here to watch the livestream of the book launch of Faces and Phases of Resilience, A Memoir of a special kind.