Steve Biko Centre

General information

The Steve Biko Foundation is a community development organization inspired by the legacy of Bantu Stephen Biko. An examination of the leading South African institutions that have contributed to shaping national discourse highlights the void that exists in promoting the intangible aspects of development: identity, culture and values, the issues that speak to the soul of a nation.

Since its inception on September 1998, the Foundation has sought to fill this gap; and intensified its efforts to strengthen democracy by championing dialogue, scholarship and programmes on the relationship between identity, agency, citizenship and social action.

Vision

To be the premier independent promoter of the values that Steve Biko lived and died for: restoring people to their true humanity.

Mission

The mission of the Steve Biko Foundation is to:
Create spaces for critical analysis and engagement with vital socio-economic and political issues in order to strengthen democracy
Foster the intangible but essential community building blocks: history, identity, culture and values, as the foundation of leadership and agency at the level of the individual and the community
Develop leadership at every level to enhance civic participation in the political, economic and cultural life of society
Nurture and affirm fundamental human values

Legacy Projects

The Biko Heritage Trail

The Biko Heritage Trail is comprised of seven sites related to the legacy of Anti-Apartheid activist Bantu Stephen Biko in the Eastern Cape.

The seven sites include;
• The Biko Munoment
• The Biko Statue
• The Office of Steve Biko
• Zanempilo Clinic
• The Garden of Remembrance
• The Steve Biko Bridge
• The Steve Biko Centre

Six of these sites have been declared National Heritage Sites by the South African Heritage Resources Agency, while the seventh site –The Steve Biko Centre- has been recognized by the South African Parliament as a National Heritage Project. Additionally, two sites have been included in the National Heritage Council’s Liberation Heritage Route and UNESCO’s Interim World Heritage list.

Steve Biko Centre

The Steve Biko Centre, located in the Ginsberg Township in South Africa's Eastern Cape Province, is dedicated to the legacy of Bantu Stephen Biko. Mandated to translate global interest in Black Consciousness, the facility is dedicated to translating global interest in the legacy of Steve Biko into a developmental resource for the region.

Accordingly, the Centre consists of:
Training Rooms;
A Museum; A Library, Archive & Educational Resource Centre
A Community Media Centre
Cultural Performance and Production Spaces;
Conference Facilities;
A Restaurant
A Memorabilia Shop
A Commemorative Garden honouring human rights activists.

Programmes

The vision, mission and values of the Steve Biko Foundation find expression in a variety of programmatic areas. These include;

National Dialogue Series

Integral to the work of the Foundation are Public Lectures, Seminars and Publications. This series of activities contributes substantively to the goals of SBF by:
Promoting leadership
Stimulating critical debate
Creating platforms for intergenerational dialogue
Bridging the gap between academia and civil society
Linking local issues with the Diaspora and the international community at large
Generating content for publications and informing research

The initiatives which comprise the National Dialogue Series are:

The Steve Biko Memorial Lecture;
The Robert Sobukwe Lecture;

FrankTalk

FrankTalk is an initiative of the Foundation that aims to advance public education about the Bill of Rights by constructively engaging young professionals ages 25-40 in national discourse. This multifaceted program engages young people for discussion around salient issues impacting South Africa’s political, economic and social development.

FrankTalk consists of the following elements:
A periodic Journal featuring contributions by topical experts and lay people;
A dynamic internet platform that enables regular engagement with policy and current events as well as interaction among participants;
A radio dialogue session that takes place before a live audience on a monthly basis.

Performing Arts Training

This intervention is critical in that while the Eastern Cape has a rich choral tradition, many young people have little or no exposure to the genres of drama or dance.

Steve Biko Centre Performing Arts Corps

Imbewu: “seeds” in isiXhosa, caters for young people between the ages of seven and thirteen.
Izithole: “saplings” in isiXhosa. The membership of this group consists of 23 youth between the ages of 14 and 18.
Abelusi: “Shepherds” in isiXhosa, is a semi-professional troupe. Abelusi’s members range from the age of 19 to 30.

Productions

In addition to the capacity building, the performing arts department has also developed several original performances. Utilizing the arts as a platform to explore socially relevant themes and historically relevant occurrences these performances are aimed to disseminate and preserve African stories and information for future generations.

Festivals

A final component of the Foundation’s performing arts program are community festivals. In an effort to foster greater social cohesion, these gatherings serve as platforms for individuals who have participated in various programs to come together to share their newly found skills, talents and abilities. Both generational and interdisciplinary in nature, Festivals feature drama, dance, film, music, poetry and dialogue about socially relevant themes. Annually, the Centre hosts the Ginsberg Easter Festival, which takes place over four days.

Economic Justice

SBF’s economic justice portfolio is underpinned by the principle of self-reliance and aims to assist in diminishing degrees of uncertainty and vulnerability in the lives of the economically disadvantaged.

The Business Incubator

The core of SBF’s Economic Justice program is The Business Incubator (TBI). A continuation of a previous SBF project, The Business Place eQonce, the Business Incubator works primarily to assist emerging entrepreneurs and SMMEs.

To achieve its mandate it offers these services to its constituents:
Advisory Services;
Company Registrations;
Training;
Skills Development.

Social Development

Through this portfolio, the Steve Biko Foundation facilitates channels for civic engagement through which communities initiate and become partners in development.

Community Health

SBF’s interventions in community health are carried out through a partnership with the Steve Biko Centre for Bioethics at Wits University. The Centre trains allied health students and practitioners in matters of bioethics. Alongside training health professionals, the Centre also raises public awareness about bioethics and works to educate the public about their rights.

Education

Biko Legacy Lectures

Currently, Steve Biko is a part of the school curriculum for grades 4, 9, 11 and 12; Biko also frequently appears on the matric exam. These factors make hosting students an integral part of the Foundation’s educational program. To facilitate these visits, SBF has developed Biko Legacy Lectures, which teachers book to bring their classes to in advance. During these lectures, an SBF program officer details relevant aspects of Biko’s life and the Black Consciousness Movement according to the requirements of the class.

Giant in Him

In addition to visiting the Biko Heritage Trail, schools also have the option of booking a performance of Giant in Him. Giant in Him is an original production of the Foundation. It is based on the role played by Steve Biko and the Black Consciousness Movement in the South African Liberation Struggle.

Learner and Teacher Support Materials (LTSM’s)

In its endeavors to expose young people to the legacy of Steve Biko and South African history at large, the Steve Biko Foundation develops LTSM’s to engage students within the programs of the Centre and those interventions that take place beyond its walls.

Sports Development

In recognition of the positive impact sports can have in society as well as its utility as a developmental tool, SBF facilitates sporting programs in previously disadvantaged communities.

This is achieved through competitive tournaments, namely;
The Steve Biko Schools League;
The Steve Biko Memorial Games;
The Steve Biko Birthday Golf Invitational.

Research, Policy & Publications

Online Archive

In keeping with its mission, SBF partnered with the Google Cultural Institute to develop an online digital archive. As part of this collaboration, Google funded the digitization of 4,000 items in SBF’s archive by world renowned photographer Ardon Bar-Hama—the expert who digitized the Dead Sea Scrolls and numerous other rare collections.

(Please visit http://www.google.com/culturalinstitute/#!browse:f.text=biko for this site).

Fellowship Program

As a component of its research, policy & publications unit SBF also facilitates a fellowship program for scholars at various stages of their development.
These include:
Executive Fellows;
Senior Fellows;
Community Fellows;
Junior Fellows;
Alumni.

Contact Details
Email : admin@sbf.org.za
Website: www.sbf.org.za

National Office
Level Two, Forum Four
33 Hoofd Street
Braampak
Braamfontein
Johannesburg, South Africa

P.O Box 32005
Braamfontein
2017

Tel: 011 403 0310
Fax: 011 403 8835

Eastern Cape Office

Steve Biko Centre
One Zotshie Street
Ginsberg
King William’s Town
Eastern Cape, South Africa

P.O Box 3030
King William’s Town
5600

Tel: 043 605 6700
Fax: 043 605 6710