In a country and a world, where rigorous and principled
academics are in short supply, the passing of Jeff Guy is a major blow. Despite
the often repeated description of Jeff Guy as cantankerous, I never experienced
or witnessed this side of him. I had limited interactions with Jeff. The man I
met and often broke bread and chewed a curd with, was generous, tender,
sensitive, astute, punctilious, open minded and incredibly funny.
Jeff Guy was a historian. He was also a Marxist. He was not
dogmatic. His Marxism did not interfere with his academic precision (despite
what his detractors said). This ability to be ideologically positioned and
still maintain academic rigour fascinated me greatly.
Those of us, who contest "neo-traditionalism" and
"essentialist" approaches to African Histories, cultures and
identities, have lost an important ally, especially in these challenging times
in South Africa.
(Facebook post, 20/12/2014)
