21 ICONS - Taddy Blecher

Taddy Blecher: “When people are more educated and feel that they have more sense of self-worth and more value in terms of what’s inside them, they just naturally treat each other better. I think that kind of self-worth does lead to happiness, I don’t think it’s the only thing that creates happiness, but it definitely is a factor in societal happiness, on all metrics.”

21 ICONS is a showcase for the South African spirit; a tribute to the men and women who have helped to shape our country and, indeed, our world. 21 ICONS featured the twentieth icon of its second season: Dr Taddy Blecher, a pioneer of the free tertiary education movement in South Africa. A man with a great vision, he believes that with an inwards-out approach to life, everyone has the ability to be successful.

In an intimate conversation with Steirn, Taddy Blecher talks about his life as a philanthropic social entrepreneur, also known as the transcendental crusader, who looks like Harry Potter. Blecher is a bubble of energy and abundance; and he is very, very smart. He has single-handedly transformed the face of development through education, by challenging conventional wisdom that only the elite are destined for power and wealth. He believes that it all comes down to the magic and genius within each of us.