Cape Town - In accepting the Jaap du Rand-Denise Ackerman Award for Unity, Reconciliation and Justice at the Andrew Murray Prize Fund awards at the weekend, Artscape chief executive Marlene le Roux reflected on the work of those who came before her.
Le Roux was among six award recipients of the Andrew Murray Prize Fund.
Author Martin Laubscher won in the category Theological Books in Afrikaans; Retief Muller’s book, The Scots Afrikaners: Identity Politics and Intertwined Religious Cultures won the Andrew Murray-Desmond Tutu Prize for General Christian Publications in an Official Language of South Africa; the Desmond Tutu-Gerritt Brand Prize for Debut Work in an Official Language of South Africa went to An-Mari do Carmo; the Andrew Murray Fak Award for Christian Music went to Johan Vorster for Kerslied; and Professor Johan Buitendag, former dean of the Faculty of Theology and Religion at the University of Pretoria, won the Clf-Elise Tempelhoff Award for Environmental Conservation and Justice.
Le Roux said Murray distinguished himself as a prolific author of about 250 Christian books, many of which have been translated into different languages and are still read worldwide today.
Recounting some key events from her life, Le Roux said: “Why do I relate these events of more than 30 years ago? Because we have to tell and hear each other’s painful stories; so that we can learn from each other and start believing in each other; so that we can rediscover our humanity, heal together and hope together.”
Le Roux added: “Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela writes that forgiveness is the wrong word for describing what unfolds when a victim encounters the perpetrator, like the young white soldier from my youth.
When we witness and acknowledge each other’s pain, we bear a responsibility that conveys compassion and care.
She calls this process ‘empathetic repair’, pointing not just towards your own healing, but also to our responsibility to participate in the building of a society in which people could come together and be fellow human beings – to touch the other, to feel the other – sharing in the vision of a more humane society.
“I want to end with a quote from the Arch since I am receiving this award in his memory as well.”
Le Roux said: “Transformation begins in you, wherever you are, whatever has happened, however, you are suffering. Transformation is always possible. We do not heal in isolation.”
Cape Times