South Africans are paying heartfelt tributes to William Smith, a cherished maths and science teacher, who passed away at the age of 85 after a brief battle with cancer.
Smith, known for his groundbreaking contributions to education, died on Wednesday morning, surrounded by his family.
Smith became a household name through his long-running educational programme on SABC, the state broadcaster, which deeply impacted many South Africans. His innovative approach to teaching earned him widespread recognition, including a national award in 2019 from President Cyril Ramaphosa, who praised Smith for “teaching and demystifying mathematics and science.”
President Ramaphosa hailed Smith as “an education and cultural icon,” noting that his dedication to education and his students’ success reached millions of young South Africans, even before the country’s transition to democracy and the introduction of equal education.
Smith is especially celebrated for his role in making maths and science accessible to disadvantaged children through the 1990s television programme Learning Channel. This initiative, which he convinced SABC to air, provided free high-quality instruction in physical science, mathematics, biology, and English to pupils who otherwise had limited access to educational resources.
Many South Africans took to social media to express their gratitude for Smith’s influence on their lives. “William Smith got me through high school maths and science. What a legend and national treasure,” wrote Wendy Verwey Bekker on X (formerly Twitter).
Throughout his career, Smith received numerous accolades, including the “Teacher of the Year” award and being named one of the top three presenters on South African television in 1998. In 2004, he was ranked 86th in the Top 100 Great South Africans.
After his retirement, Smith relocated to Australia with his family, where he passed away. His daughter, Jessica Smith, shared that while the family is mourning, they are also celebrating his legacy and are touched by the outpouring of love and respect for her father.
William Smith is survived by his wife, Jenny, his three daughters, and five grandchildren.
