Zahn-Mari Kotzé. Image: SuppliedAs the year draws to a close, many are reminded of the simple yet powerful advice once shared by the late Zahn-Mari Kotzé: “byt vas” — hang in there. It was a phrase she often used to lift others when times were tough. Friends and lecturers alike remember the young Forensic Linguistics student for her quiet strength and perseverance.
Nearly two years after her passing, Kotzé’s family has honoured her memory with a generous gift to the University that brought her so much joy. The University of the Western Cape (UWC) has launched the Zahn-Mari Kotzé Prize for Excellence in Forensic Linguistics. This annual award recognises outstanding postgraduate research in the expanding field of language and the law.
The prize — established through the Kotzé family’s donation — was announced at an event that also marked the handover of the new academic publication, Documenting Forensic Linguistics in the African Context: Perspectives in Language and Legal Practice, in which Kotzé co-authored a chapter.
The family, who travelled from the Northern Cape, was visibly struck with emotion as her colleagues, lecturers and friends evoked memories of Kotzé – her zest for life, passion for her field of study and compassion for others. Her examiners described the study as an original and significant contribution to forensic linguistics in Southern Africa — the first of its kind in the country. Despite the field’s infancy on the continent, Kotzé’s work displayed mastery of its key theories and meticulous attention to detail. Her thesis was accepted subject to minor revisions, which Prof Ralalarala later implemented to enable her posthumous graduation at UWC’s April 2024 ceremony.
In 2022, Kotzé’s expertise extended beyond academia when she served as an expert witness in a court submission for a Centurion law firm — testimony that impressed both legal and linguistic professionals. Her proposed PhD project, “Plagiarism with specific reference to postgraduate students in selected universities in South Africa,” was due to begin in early 2024, underscoring her growing role as a pioneer in this specialised discipline.
UWC’s Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Robert Balfour, reflected on her lasting influence, saying her passion for forensic linguistics showed that she understood how powerful language can be — how it can reveal truth and support justice. By turning a personal act of remembrance into an institutional legacy, he said, the Kotzé family ensures that Zahn-Mari’s name will continue to inspire generations of students.
“So what that goes to demonstrate is how an essential gesture of life can make such an enormous impact. Memory, of course, fades with time, but I think when we commit to an institution of education, a prize such as this, what we are saying is that despite the fluxion of time, despite the passing of time, this memory endures,” said Prof Balfour.
Instead of an official event, it was an intimate gathering that resembled a moment when two families meet for the first time. Her mother, Cornelia Kotzé, described UWC as her child’s other home, and Prof Ralalarala, her supervisor and mentor, as her “other father.” Cornelia smiled sincerely throughout the proceedings.
Image: Shelley Christians/UWCWith the comforting hand of her younger brother on her arm, she occasionally wiped away tears. Yet the pain was softened by an unmistakable pride in all that her daughter had achieved and the lives she had touched. When she took the floor, she spoke of Kotzé’s enduring love for language and learning.
“She always loved languages, but forensic linguistics truly captured her. She told us UWC was the best place for the field — it had the research chair and the best opportunities. Zahn-Mari was like sunshine: gentle, thoughtful, and full of laughter. Through this prize, we want to help others carry her passion forward,” she said.
Prof Russell Kaschula, UWC Research Chair in Forensic Linguistics and Multilingualism, described Kotzé as “a meticulous and innovative researcher” whose work remains a foundation for future scholars.
Prof Ralalarala, her supervisor, mentor, and affectionately referred to as her “other father”, echoed this sentiment: “Zahn-Mari lived the values of fairness and truth through her work. She belonged to that rare group of people who combine intellect with deep humanity. She will always be part of our Forensic Linguistics classroom — now and in the years to come.”
