Athol Williams facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Athol Williams
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Athol Williams in Oxford, UK, 2017
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| Born | Athol Williams 20 June 1970 Cape Town, South Africa |
| Occupation | Writer, Applied Philosopher |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | South African |
| Alma mater | Oxford University London School of Economics Harvard University London Business School Massachusetts Institute of Technology University of the Witwatersrand |
| Notable works | Deep Collusion Bumper Cars Pushing Boulders |
| Website | |
| www.atholwilliams.com | |
Athol Williams (born June 20, 1970) is a South African poet, philosopher, and business lecturer. He teaches at Oxford University in the United Kingdom.
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About Athol Williams
Athol Williams was born in Lansdowne, a part of Cape Town, South Africa. He grew up in Mitchells Plain, a township created during the time of apartheid. Before he became a writer and academic, he worked in business for 15 years. He mostly helped companies with their plans and strategies.
In 1991, while at the University of the Witwatersrand, he published his first poem. It was called "New South Africa" and appeared in a student magazine. This poem showed the hope people felt after Nelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid leaders were released from prison in 1990.
Williams is a co-founder of Read to Rise. This is a group that helps young people learn to read. They do this by giving books to children in communities that don't have many resources. He also started the Institute of Social and Corporate Ethics (ISCE). He is on the board of a South African literary magazine called New Contrast. He also founded the Cape Flats Book Festival. In April 2025, a large mural celebrating Athol Williams was unveiled in Cape Town. It calls him a 'South African Hero' and 'Education Champion'.
Fighting for What's Right
Athol Williams is known for speaking out against corruption and for promoting ethical business practices. In October 2019, he shared important information about a company called Bain & Company. He said they had not told the whole truth to a special commission. This commission was looking into problems at the South African tax service.
In December 2019, news reports said that Bain had tried to pay Williams to keep quiet. The commission later found that Bain did not share all the information they should have. Bain has said these claims are not true.
In March 2021, Williams spoke for two days at the State Capture Commission. He gave evidence about Bain's connection with Jacob Zuma and Tom Moyane. This was part of a big investigation into corruption in South Africa. The commission's final report said that Bain's actions were 'unlawful'. It praised Williams for refusing money to stay silent. The report thanked him for his help.
In November 2021, Williams published a book called Deep Collusion: Bain and the capture of South Africa. This book was based on what he told the commission and his own experiences.
On November 1, 2021, Williams left South Africa because he was worried about his safety. He was a witness and a whistle-blower in the ongoing Zondo Commission. He had named many people in his testimony. While he was away, Williams worked with Lord Peter Hain. They worked to bring attention to Bain's corrupt actions around the world. Because of their efforts, the UK government announced in August 2022 that Bain was 'guilty of grave professional misconduct'. This led to Bain being banned from getting government contracts in the UK for three years.
His Studies and Teaching
Athol Williams holds three teaching positions at Oxford University. In 2023, he became a Lecturer in Management at the Said Business School. He also became a Lecturer in Management at St Peter's College. Since 2022, he has been a Research Associate at Hertford College. In June 2024, Hertford College gave Williams its highest honor, an Honorary Fellowship.
He is the first person to earn five master's degrees from five top universities around the world. His degrees include:
- BSc (Engineering)(Mech) from University of the Witwatersrand
- MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management
- MSc (Finance) from London Business School
- MPhil (Political Theory) from University of Oxford (Hertford College)
- MPA from Harvard University
- MSc (Political Theory) from London School of Economics and Political Science
- DPhil (Politics) from University of Oxford
Williams has also been a professor at the University of the Witwatersrand. He was a Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Town. There, he taught about how companies should act responsibly and lead ethically. He was also a Research Fellow at the Centre for Applied Ethics at the University of Stellenbosch.
His Writing
From 2009 to 2014, Athol Williams published his poems using the name AE Ballakisten. His poetry often explores four main ideas:
- Social justice: This means fairness for everyone, as seen in poems like When It Rains and Coat of Arms.
- Exploring our humanity: What it means to be human, like in Your Song.
- Inspiration: Poems that uplift and encourage, such as 39 Postcards.
- The surreal: Things that are dreamlike or strange, like in the poem At Home[Usurped!].
Williams also writes academic papers about how businesses should act responsibly and ethically. He often writes for the media about important topics. These include poverty, helping young people read, social justice, and bad behavior by companies.
He writes regularly about public affairs for publications in South Africa. He is also a frequent guest on radio shows and speaks at conferences. He has a regular column for Thought Leader. His work has also appeared in the Mail & Guardian, The Big Issue, and Business Day.
Awards and Recognitions
Academic Awards
- Honorary Fellow, Hertford College, University of Oxford (2024)
Literary Awards
- Sol Plaatje European Union Poetry Award (2015)
- Sol Plaatje European Union Poetry Award (2016)
- Parallel Universe Poetry Competition, Winner, Oxford University (2016)
- South African Independent Publishers Award (2017) for Invitation
- Cultural Affairs Award for Contribution to Literary Arts, Western Cape Provincial Government (2019)
- Award for Best Story, Short.Sharp.Stories Contest (2025)
Public Service Awards
- Special Recognition Award, Blueprint for Free Speech, Australia (2022)
- Chairman's Award, SA Chamber of Commerce UK (2022)
- Mayor's Medal for Extraordinary Bravery, Cape Town, South Africa (2023)
- Social Justice Champion of the Year, Centre for Social Justice, South Africa (2024)
- Public mural installed in 'recognition of his achievements', Cape Town, South Africa (2025)
