By: Nontobeko Moimane- 24 May 2023

Dr Teboho Pitso, Manager for the Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT), had the honour to hand over the first copy of his book titled “The Forgotten: Reconstructing and Reclaiming African Spirituality in the Post-truth Era” to King Letsie of Basotho.

The handover took place in Matsieng, Lesotho on Saturday, 20 May 2023.

According to Dr Pitso, the book is part of the Southern theorisation project (decolonisation) and mainstreaming indigenous knowledge, it is a big part of the restoration of African episteme as an equally legitimate form of knowledge at the same level as the dominant Northern episteme.  “King Letsie, as the custodian of the Basotho indigenous knowledge, is critical in the dissemination and spread of African knowledge that was historically marginalised through menticide, conditioned ignorance (agnotology) and coercion,” he said. He added that more prominent figures will be targeted as this is part of the Africa 2063 Agenda, which has a crucial role to play in restoring not only Africa’s ways of knowing but also its dignity.

In the book, Dr Pitso makes a case that Africa is the origin of all knowledge, Science, Mathematics, Engineering, Technology, religion, and philosophy as it challenges entrenched imperialist myths of a backward Africa. He also explains well-being from an African perspective focusing on four virtues that define African spirituality: temperance, fortitude, prudence, and restorative justice.

The book will be available in two forms ebook and hard copy, both of which will be available online at Takealot, Amazon and Exclusive Books. A limited number of autographed hard copies will be available for VUT staff and people around the Vaal from the author and orders can be made by email: biki@vut.ac.za. The publisher indicated that the book would sell for R350 per hard copy and R250 per ebook.