Kabelo Motlhakane

School Chaplain and Head of Transformation at St Peter’s College, Reverend Kabelo Motlhakane, is unique amongst his fellow specialists in transformation and belonging, as possibly the only ordained priest that holds both callings.

St Peter’s espouses Anglican Christian values in every facet of its activities and promotes a deep-seated culture of respect across colour, creed and background as outlined in the school’s Mission statement and core values of respect, honour, compassion, collaboration, resilience and responsibility.

Reverend Kabelo’s role reinforces this approach as he serves both as the school's spiritual leader and as a consciousness for all matters relating to the intersectional nature of race, religion, sexuality, gender, and other social differentiators. On an overarching level, he aims to ensure that all who enter the St Peter’s College Campus feel safe, heard, seen and appreciated.

“My role is integral to how individuals, especially those who belong to marginalised groups (both historically and contextually), interact with the school's content and the symbols and culture the school embodies, “ he says. “As an ordained Anglican priest, my departure point for the work of transformation and belonging is always from the perspective that Jesus is an active liberator and one that finds common ground in spaces of great conflict.

When I facilitate conversations and engage our students and staff, I try to unearth the humanity at the core of our diversity. Ours is a humanity that is made in the one undivided image of a loving God, and it is from a place of love for humanity, creation, and community that all I do comes from. I believe that nothing human can ever be alien to me; everything good and bad that another human being can do, I am equally capable of.”