After being diagnosed with a rare form of leukaemia, Barry Dwolatzky left Britain and returned to South Africa in 1989 after living in self-imposed exile. With this fresh chapter of his life, he took an appointment at Wits University and went on to dedicate three decades of his life to educating future generations of software engineers and working professionals.

He contributed to the success of Eskom's mass electrification drive of the early 2000s, supported the growth of South Africa's digital economy, and founded the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. Each accolade represented a new beginning and another step in this new chapter.

But what brought him back to his homeland in 1989, and inspired him to achieve these accolades? What made him want to contribute to such significant events?

For the first time, Barry Dwolatzky shares stories about his life in Apartheid South Africa, his experiences living in Britain in the 1980s and the mission that brought him back to South Africa and Wits University.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Barry Dwolatzky is an Emeritus Professor and Director of Innovation Strategy at the University of Witwatersrand, Founder and Director of the University’s Joburg Centre for Software Engineering (JCSE) and Founder of the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct in Braamfontein Johannesburg. He was named as the co-winner of the South African ICT Personality of the Year Award in 2013 and has played a pivotal role in developing and growing the South African digital economy.