University of Pretoria (UP) student Rudolph Boraine has graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of
Social Science (Hons) degree in History, having completed a research report on the contested history of the
koeksister, the well-loved South African confectionary.
Boraine (25) – who lives with cerebral palsy, which affects the physical functioning of his entire body
– graduated cum laude from UP for the second time. In addition to his latest achievement, he was also part of
the team that was awarded first prize in the History Honours Archive Research Project, which formed part of
the course’s core modules. He also received the award for the best second-year History student in 2019.
“It is an honour for me to graduate from this remarkable institution for the second time,” said Boraine, who is
currently furthering his studies in Psychology. “My journey to graduation at honours level was challenging in
the sense that I live with a disability. I needed to make a lot of adjustments, such as extending the time that I had at my disposal to write my research report as well as taking extra time to complete some assignments, as
my typing accuracy and speed of communication are affected by my disability.”
Boraine’s Honoursresearch report – titled ‘The koeksister: A twisted history?’ – interrogated the sweet treat’s
“twisted historical origin” and compared the koeksister (with a “k”) of Dutch/Afrikaans origin to the koesister
(without a “k”) of Cape Malay origin. Using a comparative methodology, he researched the origins of both
versions of the koeksister using secondary sources, as well as recipe books as a form of primary research or
alternate archive. His comparison considered both the similarities and differences in nomenclature,
geographic origins, ingredients, preparation processes, physical shapes, serving traditions as well as the
community context of the two food items.
While the ingredients for both are fairly similar, the shape of the two items are remarkably different: the
koeksister is plaited, while the koesister is oblong. Furthermore, the Afrikaans version is regarded primarily as
a klein koekie (small cake) and is served as a confectionary item, while the Cape Malay version has multiple
serving options, including as a sweet treat, breakfast item and during religious festivals.
“[This confectionary] has a more contested, contentious and intertwined cultural history than commonly
assumed by historians and the broader public,” Boraine said.
His supervisor, Professor Karen L Harris, said she was impressed by the amount of research that Boraine had
undertook in order to develop an appropriate hypothesis and present a well-balanced discussion. “He made
excellent use of a range of sources and did extensive research using both academic and alternate sources to
substantiate this contested history.”
The external examiner agreed, describing Boraine’s arguments as “convincing”. “The amount of work that the
student has put into this research report is certainly commendable. A great strength was the range of sources
consulted in assembling this work, which demonstrated an openness to combining the findings of significant
mainstream historical scholarship with more popular and less conventional material.”
Boraine remarked that he was given valuable support throughout his studies, from a facilitator who helped
him to get around campus as well as from UP’s Department of Historical and Heritage Studies, through which
he completed his honours degree. “The staff were always accommodating, kind, compassionate and
understanding,” he said. “I realised that anything can be achieved with hard work, despite any physical
challenges that you may have – if you remain an optimistic student with a clear set of goals, you can achieve
anything.”
He also has a word of encouragement for students with disabilities. “Research possibilities at UP do not have
to be hampered by physical challenges. My advice to students living with a disability who wish to achieve
academic success is to work hard and to stay committed to their goals. Remember, with the right support and
mindset, everything is possible.”
