Human Resources Directors in Higher Education pay tribute to a departed beloved peer
The Universities South Africa Office has from Monday been showered with tributes and accolades as members of the Human Resources Directors’ (HRD) Forum acknowledged receipt of the shocking news of Dr Kgomotso Kasonkola’s passing last Friday, 6 September. He was a Senior Director: Human Resources at the University of the Witwatersrand, and a long-serving member of the HRD Forum.
This sad news was conveyed by the HRD Forum’s current Chairperson, Ms Sue Robertson, Director: People and Culture at Rhodes University, who, in her own words, said Dr Kasonkola “will be remembered for his significant contribution to the HRD Forum and the sector. He leaves behind a huge legacy. We are in his debt.”
Dr Kasonkola (left), who succumbed to a short illness, would have turned 60 on 26 September 2024.
Affectionately known among his peers as Dr KK or Dr K, a peer within the Wits Community called him “a stalwart of Wits University and made an immense contribution to the institutional life of the university over many years. We wish to extend condolences to the Kasonkola family, his friends, colleagues and all of you who may have had the opportunity to work alongside Kgomotso during his time at Wits.”
Ms Felicity Kokose, USAf’s Manager: Sector Support and convenor of the HRD Forum, who naturally often spoke to Dr KK in her coordination and monitoring of the Forum’s action plans in between meetings, was one of the first people to receive the news last Friday. She responded: “We were literally talking about him at USAf today around midday, reflecting on the kind of person he is and the great contributions he’s made whenever we would make a request to him. We had no idea we were about to hear such news.”
Since then, Ms Kokose has been at the receiving end of an outpouring of love from members of the HRD Forum. Mr Basiami Disipi, Employment Equity and B-BBEE Specialist at University of Pretoria, who is also a National Skills Authority Board member, worked very closely with Dr Kasonkola on sector-wide capacity development projects. These included the in-sourced staff skills audit and needs analysis, collaborating with various sector education and training authorities (SETAs) to source funding for the identified priority needs of the in-sourced staff. This culminated in multi-year training roll-out involving all university that in-sourced their security, gardening and cleaning staff.
At the time of Dr Kasonkola’s untimely passing, he was spearheading the development of an Academic Internship programme that will focus on professionalising work experience for early academic entrants. Mr Disipi says of him: “he was a valuable and colourful mentor and friend. His absence and insight will be dearly missed, but not forgotten.”
Ms Vuyokazi Dwane, Senior Director: Human Capital at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology: May his soul rest in peace and his loved ones, friends and colleagues be comforted as they remember him and learn to live without him in their midst. Thank you, Sue and Nandi, for sending a message to his family on our behalf.
Mr Bheki Shezi, Director: Human Resources Development at the Mangosuthu University of Technology, said it must be devastating for the family, who had only recently (in July) buried a son — and now was about to bury the dad. “Gone too soon Dr K, our dependable soldier, the legend, and an icon. RIP.
“Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this sorrowful time. Surely God will strengthen them to get through the difficult days ahead.”
From the Central University of Technology, Ms Razina Jacobs, Senior Director: Human Resources, said “this is truly very sad. Condolences to the family, friends and colleagues.”
Members of the Human Resources Directors’ Forum at their second meeting for 2024 on the 4th of July, that was held on the East Rand, in Gauteng. Standing tall in the middle is the current Chair, Ms Sue Robertson of Rhodes University. Dr Kasonkola missed this meeting as it fell within a period of his bereavement. He had just lost his eldest son.
Mr Meko Ernest Magida, Executive Director: Human Resources at the University of the Western Cape would add: Dr K was more than a colleague to me; he was also a dear friend and brother. I’ll miss his wise counsel and his genuine care for all. My thoughts are with his wife, children, the rest of his family, relatives, and colleagues during this difficult time as we navigate through this profound loss together.
“May we find comfort in our shared memories and strength in the legacy Dr K leaves behind.”
Everyone who worked closely with Dr Kasonkola called him a gentleman of note. Professor Themba Mosia, Interim Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Pretoria echoed this sentiment: “He was such a gentleman with depth of experience and an infectious smile and laughter.”
Tribute from the Higher Education Employee Relations Forum
On behalf of the Higher Education Employee Relations Forum, Mr Thabo Lebakeng, Chairperson, who is also the Director: Employee Relations and Wellness at the University of Zululand, had the following to say:
The Higher Education Employee Relations Forum extends its heartfelt condolences to Dr Kasankola’s wife and children for the passing of Dr K. May the beautiful memories they shared with him ease their loss and bring them comfort through this difficult period.
Dr K was a friend and a supporter of the Higher Education Employee Relations Forum. His benevolence and kindness to the ER Forum truly knew no bounds. His invaluable guidance, dexterity and guidance will be solely missed!
In bidding him farewell we seek solace in one of John Donne’s sonnets:
Death Be Not Proud
“Death, be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou are not so;
For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.
From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,
Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,
And soonest our best men with thee do go,
Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.
Thou’art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,
And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell,
And poppy’or charms can make us sleep as well
And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then?
One short sleep past, we wake eternally,
And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.”
About Dr Kasonkola
Dr Kgomotso Kasonkola held a PhD in Organisational Behaviour from the University of Pretoria. As the Senior Director: Human Resources at the University of the Witwatersrand, he was also Chairperson of the WITS Retirement Fund. Kasonkola served on the remuneration committees of WITS Enterprise and the WITS Health Consortium. He was also a member of the University Senate.
From the broader Higher Education sector perspective, he was the longest serving Chair of the Human Resources Directors’ Forum, a community of practice under the auspices of Universities South Africa, from 2015 to 2023. He represented this body at the HR Steering Committee of the Association of Commonwealth Universities. Kasonkola also sat on USAf’s HR and Remunerations Committee from 2018 till his passing.
Previously, he had served on the boards of Protec, Vaal University of Technology (VUT) Provident Fund as Chairperson; on Bestmed, Wits University Medical Aid until it was merged into Discovery Health, and the Education, Training and Development Practices (ETDP) Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA), whose Research Chamber he also chaired.
Academically, he has supervised master’s students at VUT. He has served as VUT’s external examiner for its HR programmes and has supervised MBA students at the WITS Business School.
A hard act to follow
“He will be deeply missed,” has been a common refrain in all messages exchanged between members of the HR Directors’ Forum. This resonates with the sentiment expressed by the USAf Board of Directors, whose tribute to Dr Kasonkola concluded as follows:
“Dr. Kasonkola’s passing leaves a gaping void in the higher education sector. However, his impact as a strategic leader and profound expert endures,” Professor Francis Petersen, Chairperson of the USAf Board declared. “As we grieve his loss, we also honour his lasting legacy which will continue to inspire us and the USAf Office and inform future generations of HR professionals and educators. His contributions have left an indelible mark on the broader higher education community he served so faithfully. His will be a hard act to follow.
“As the Board of USAf, we stand with his wife and children in prayer, and, on behalf of the higher education sector, we convey our deepest condolences. May his soul rest in perfect eternal peace.”
Memorial service and funeral
The University of the Witwatersrand will host a memorial service in respect of Dr Kasonkola today (Thursday, 12 September), from the Great Hall, from 12:00. The service, to be live-streamed, may also be attended online. His funeral service, to be hosted from the Quest Conference Centre on Curie Boulevard in Vanderbijlpark in the Vaal, will be held this Saturday, 14 September, at a time to be confirmed.
‘Mateboho Green is University South Africa’s Manager: Corporate Communication.
