“Last Words” – A Tribute to Stu Woolman
In the wake of the untimely passing of Professor Stu Woolman, we join the legal community in mourning the tragic loss of an astute, brilliant and creative academic, as well as a caring, thoughtful and kind friend and mentor.
Stu had promised to write a blog post for African Law Matters. Sadly, his many other (laudable) commitments prevented him from writing it in the end. Our email thread on this matter turned into an amusing sparring match. Although he did not attach a blog post to any of these emails, Stu never failed to impress us with his creative and insightful requests for extensions (citing Shakespeare where necessary) and expressions of dismay at the preferred word limit (Mozart insisted that there was never a note too many or too few, he reminded us). No tribute can be a satisfactory substitute for Stu’s own words, but it seemed fitting to borrow the title that he had intended to use for his post: “Last Words.”
Stu’s idea for “Last Words” was to capture some of the theses presented in one of his recent publications, Wrecking Ball, a scathing analysis of the “wicked problems” that plague South Africa’s inclusive democracy, and the harsh realities of the future consequences of these problems.
The heart of this work reflects Stu’s relentless commitment to asking, and attempting to answer, the most important and difficult questions. This mission is evidenced in several other noteworthy publications, including The Selfless Constitution: Experimentalism and Flourishing as Foundations of South Africa’s Basic Law, The Constitution in the Classroom: Law and Education in South Africa, and The Business of Sustainable Development in Africa, which won the 2009 Hindiggh-Currie Award for Best Book.
These weighty academic contributions are just the tip of the iceberg. In addition to being unafraid of uncomfortable truths and facing the facts, Stu was in many ways a visionary. Somewhat flippantly, he described himself as a “change agent”. He may have meant it in jest, but he was undeniably just that. His commitment to South Africa’s constitutional project manifested in the development of Constitutional Court Review, an internationally accredited journal focused entirely on critiquing, understanding and analysing the work of South Africa’s Constitutional Court.
When the African Law Matters blog was launched in 2021, Stu offered his unwavering support. Thus, the Constitutional Court Review became of the blog’s very first partners.
In addition to its important substantive contributions, this journal embodies Stu’s fierce belief in inclusivity and investment in the future through its commitment to providing opportunities to young and upcoming academics and remaining an open-access journal.
These aspects of Constitutional Court Review reflect the other side of Stu’s work: the mentorship and nurturing that he offered to his students and other young academics who crossed his path. Despite his packed schedule and many commitments, he (and his puppy) always made time for a call or a meeting to offer advice when asked. Stu inspired us not to just write for the sake of it, but to really think about the contributions we wanted our work to make. He urged us to be comprehensive, creative and courageous in our academic pursuits.
Although he challenged us with critical feedback and a constant refrain of encouragement to do more and go deeper, it was also a reminder of his belief in our abilities and the importance of always seeking improvement. This mentality is reflected in the legacy that he leaves behind. As a mentor, he inspired and guided countless students and professionals, leaving an indelible mark on their careers. His own work, cited by the Constitutional Court many times, was intentionally carved out to leave a mark.
Perhaps it is fitting, and not just a cruel irony that Stu never got around to writing “Last Words” for this blog, because the truth is that his work is far from drawing to finality. Through his passionate, deliberate and earnest investment in people and enduring projects like Constitutional Court Review, his powerful legacy lives on. We were honoured to know and work with Stu and, like the rest of the legal community, miss him terribly already. We shall do our best to represent his courage, commitment and brilliance in all that we do.
Thank you, Stu, for allowing us to join you in “doing this thing together”.* Thank you, for everything.
*Editor’s note: this is an extract from a poem that Stu read at the last Constitutional Court Review Conference that he attended, which took place in December 2023. He emphasised this extract as he wished to thank everyone for their involvement in Constitutional Court Review and everything that it represents.
