Williams was born inLansdowne, Cape Town, South Africa, and grew up inMitchells Plain, thecoloured township established underapartheid. Before becoming an academic and writer, he worked in business for fifteen years, mainly as a strategy advisor.
It was at the University of the Witwatersrand, in 1991, that he published his first poem, "New South Africa", in the student publicationWits Student. The poem captured the newfound optimism associated with the release from prison ofNelson Mandela and other anti-apartheid leaders in 1990.[3]
He is the co-founder of Read to Rise,[4] an NGO that promotes youth literacy by making appropriate books available to children in poor communities and founder of theInstitute of Social and Corporate Ethics (ISCE). He serves on the board of New Contrast Literary Magazine, a South African literary journal,[5] and is the founder of the Cape Flats Book Festival.[6]
Williams is acknowledged for his anti-corruption and ethical business stance. In October 2019, Williams blew the whistle onBain & Company stating that they had withheld relevant information from the Nugent Commission investigating irregularities atSouth African Revenue Service.[7][8][9][10] In December 2019, several media outlets reported that Bain had attempted to buy Williams's silence.[11][12][13][14] The Nugent Commission found that Bain did not make full disclosure.[15] Bain have denied these allegations.[16][17]
In March 2021, Williams testified for two days before theState Capture Commission presenting evidence relating to Bain's alliance withJacob Zuma andTom Moyane in alleged state capture in South Africa.[18][19][20][21] The Commission's final report concluded that Bain's behaviour was 'unlawful' and praised Williams for rejecting hush money and acknowledged his contribution, stating 'it particularly wishes to express its appreciation to Mr Williams for the evidence he gathered and placed before the Commission.'[22] In November 2021, Williams publishedDeep Collusion: Bain and the capture of South Africa based on his testimony and experience at Bain.[23]
On 1 November 2021, Williams fled South Africa due to safety concerns. As a witness andwhistle-blower who implicated dozens of individuals in the ongoingZondo Commission, he feared possible reprisal.[24][25] While in exile, Williams collaborated withLord Peter Hain to draw global attention to Bain's corrupt activities in South Africa. One outcome of this campaign was the announcement by the UK government on 3 August 2022 that its investigation concluded Bain was 'guilty of grave professional misconduct' leading to a 3 year ban from state contracts.[26][27][28]
Williams holds three academic posts atOxford University. In 2023 he was appointed Lecturer in Management atSaid Business School[29] and Lecturer in Management atSt Peter's College.[30] He has held the position of Research Associate atHertford College[2] since 2022. In June 2024, Hertford College announced that it had awarded Williams its highest recognition, an Honorary Fellowship.[31]
He is the first person to earn five master's degrees from five global top-ranked universities.[32] He holds the following degrees:
Williams has held the positions of adjunct professor atUniversity of the Witwatersrand and Senior Lecturer at the University of Cape Town, specialising in corporate responsibility and ethical leadership[37] He was also a Research Fellow in the Centre for Applied Ethics at the University of Stellenbosch.[38]
From 2009 to 2014, Williams published his poetry under the pseudonym AE Ballakisten. His poetry typically addresses four themes: (i)social justice as in the poemsWhen It Rains,Protest in Colombo andCoat of Arms (ii) exploration of ourhumanity as inYour Song (iii)inspiration as we find in39 Postcards or (iv) thesurreal as in the poemAt Home[usurped].
Williams's academic writing focuses on corporate responsibility and business ethics. He is often published in the media on topics of poverty,[39][40] youth literacy,[41] social justice[42] and corporate malfeasance.[43][44][45]
Williams writes regularly on public affairs for publications in South Africa and is a regular radio guest and conference speaker. He has a regular column forThought Leader[46][47] and has recently published in theMail & Guardian,[48]The Big Issue[49] andBusiness Day.[44]
The Oaky Series (illustrated by Taryn Lock; Theart Press):Oaky and the Sun (2014),Oaky the Happy Tree (2015),[59] Oaky the Brave Acorn (2017),[60] What is Happening to Oaky? (2017),[60] Oaky Runs a Race (2018), Oaky and Themba (2019), Oaky and the Virus (2020),[61][62][63][64][65][66] Oaky in the Playground (2021)[67]
