I write this tribute with profound sadness, but also with immense gratitude for the privilege of having known Prof Adele Moodly, a dear friend of more than four decades, who passed away on September 17 this year after a courageous battle with cancer.
Her passing brought to a close an extraordinary life defined by scholarship, principled leadership, selfless service, devotion to her family, steadfast friendship and an unwavering commitment to the advancement of others.
A daughter of the soil of Gqeberha, she was born into a working-class family on March 7 1967 and rose above the social, economic and racial barriers that constrained the opportunities available to young women of colour.
Through her sheer intellect and unwavering sense of purpose, she became a distinguished academic and a formidable advocate for a more equitable higher education system.
Yet, to those who knew her best, she was far more than the sum of her professional accomplishments.
She was a woman of conviction, a devoted member of her family and an irreplaceable friend whose generosity, loyalty and courage touched the lives of all who journeyed with her.
After matriculating from Bethelsdorp Secondary School in Gqeberha in 1984, she entered Rhodes University, where lifelong friendships were formed.
Even then, her intellectual curiosity, social consciousness, quiet resolve, organisational ability and concern for others were evident.
Following the completion of her degree and higher diploma in education in 1989, she began her career as a teacher at Bertram Senior Secondary School before joining Walter Sisulu University.
Through an exceptional capacity for academic leadership, she rose to become head of department in 2005, and ultimately the dean of the faculty of management and public administration sciences in 2009.
Her extraordinary academic journey encompassed a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education, Master of Education, Doctorate in Education and Master of Business Administration, qualifications that enriched her contribution to education, leadership, governance and institutional transformation.
Adele’s commitment to women’s education and advancement extended beyond SA.
During a sabbatical at a university in Saudi Arabia, her Women in Education programme earned her exceptional formal recognition.
On returning to SA, she joined the University of Fort Hare as vice-dean of education in 2013.
In 2017, she was appointed registrar of Rhodes University, “the first black woman to hold the office in the institution’s 113-year history”.
A remarkable achievement. Conscious of the significance of this achievement in a sector where black women remained underrepresented in senior leadership, Adele used her position to advance substantive institutional change to remove the barriers women in leadership face.
Among others, her contributions included reforming the university statutes, enabling senior executives to retain their professorial titles and improving supplementary-examination processes.
This work reflected her conviction that transformation requires not only public commitment, but also the careful and meticulous reform of the rules, procedures and systems that shape university life.
Adele’s academic work explored the relationship between education, community empowerment and social inequality.
Her early research examined the role of Technikons in community advancement and the provision of adult literacy education in rural and impoverished communities.
This work developed into a critical examination of institutional culture, gender, power and leadership in higher education.
She identified the systemic barriers confronting women, particularly black women, and argued that those in positions of authority had a responsibility to address persistent gender inequalities, strengthen mentorship and create more equitable pathways into leadership.
Central to her work was the conviction that meaningful institutional transformation required the collective responsibility of both women and men in leadership.
As registrar of Rhodes, she gave practical expression to these convictions by translating principle into deliberate and consequential action.
Her academic work was never detached from her professional practice. She engaged and worked actively with communities in Makhanda, supported black women academics, encouraged younger colleagues and regarded mentorship as a substantive responsibility rather than a ceremonial undertaking.
She also worked closely with student leaders and unions to advance institutional transformation.
Adele did not regard her own advancement as sufficient evidence of progress.
She understood the important distinction between an individual woman succeeding within an established system and transforming that system so that other capable women could also advance.
Despite her considerable academic and professional achievements, she remained humble, unassuming and deeply connected to her roots, family and friends.
Throughout her courageous struggle with cancer, she continued to express her love through regular telephone calls, practical assistance, provided honest counsel, encouragement and a willingness to listen and help.
She cherished her husband Brendan Barry; her son Carl and his wife Dayna; her mother Angeline; her brother Russel; her sisters Heather and Cheryl; and her wider family.
In the final weeks of her life, her grandson, Kai, who was only two months old during her final days, brought her immeasurable joy.
There can be no doubt that her absence will be deeply felt by her family, her lifelong friends and all whose lives were made richer by the grace of her love and generosity.
Adele leaves an enduring legacy as an accomplished academic, principled leader, devoted mentor and champion of black women in leadership.
Her life will continue to inspire others to carry forward the work to which she devoted her life.
Her greatest legacy lies in the principles she upheld, the barriers she challenged and the pathways she opened for those who follow.
Her untimely death is a profound loss to her loved ones and to the academic community she served with such distinction.
People of such extraordinary character are rare, and her influence will be cherished long after her passing.
For me, her death represents the loss of an irreplaceable friend of more than four decades.
With love, your dear friend
