On Wed, Mar 2, 2011 at 11:28 AM, Azania Matiwane <[email protected]>wrote:
> University of Free State (UFS) is renowned because of the infamous racism > video <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4jq_sucA34> of white students, > known as the Rietz 4 that forced the black workers to eat dog food that they > urinated and farted on. This was a classic act of racism within the premises > of higher education institution and this acts continues to characterise the > UFS as an institution where racism is entrenched and embedded within the > culture of the institution. I must say upfront that I have been one of those > that supported Professor Jonathan Jansen on his quest to dealing with the > issue of racism within the institution head on, knowing well how this was to > be a challenge for him as a first black Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the > institution. It should be said that Prof Jansen navigated the tide with care > and skill due to the sensitivity of the matter of racism in South Africa, > against the backdrop of atrocities suffered by the majority in the apartheid > past of the country. > > > > However, throughout all reporting of this incident of these students, one > cannot ignore the seemingly sexiness that’s being portrayed in various > reports in various media houses. This leading to some sexy names like, > “Rietz 4” which is taken from the name of the student residence where the > incident happened, and the number of the racist students on the video. The > thing is about racism, it hurts the recipient deeper than the naked eye can > see. It undermines the self worthiness of an individual who is subject to > such a racist practice, it causes an untold emotional harm that no one can > realise except the recipient and casts self doubt. Recently, the UFS has > launched an International Institute of Studies in Race, Reconciliation and > Social Justice<http://mg.co.za/article/2011-02-04-take-the-baton-from-tutu>as > its effort to address its long history of racial discrimination, this > event being presided upon by the respectable Nobel Laureate Archbishop > Desmond Tutu. > > > > All these efforts are yet again being undermined by four things, one, the > UFS banning of the student political organisations within the university, > two, the disbandment of the Student Representative Council (SRC) that was > duly elected through internal constitutional means, the third, the statement > by the AfriForum Youth (an Afrikaner youth formation), that they would not > participate in SRC elections set in August 2011 if the South African Student > Congress (SASCO) did not participate and the demand by the Rietz 4 for R1 > million to tell the > story<http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Reitz-4-want-R1m-to-talk-20110227>. > > > > > There’s everything wrong with the above scenario, first, students political > organisations are an embodiment of social, political and religious belief > systems which students embrace and chose to associate themselves. This means > therefore, these student bodies are the hub of student exuberance and > contribute to honing of student intelligentsia for future society benefit. > Prof Jansen on the opening of the Institute had said, “The university will > become a place that exemplifies the scholarship and practice of > reconciliation, forgiveness and social justice...... scholars and students > from around the world will descend on the institution to study and > understand the theory and practice of building a community across the > divides of race but also religion, gender, disability and ability, national > origins and .. sexual identity.” The learned Prof could not have said it > better, however, his muzzling of the student organisation on the institution > pissed on the face of such bold commitments. Moreover, institutions of > higher learning are supposed to provide space to students to pursue their > intellectual summits and encouraging social cohesion, absence of this could > mean building the next generation of apolitical workers. This cannot be > acceptable in the South African society which continues to have significant > levels of inequalities. In SA workers need to be very conscious of the > political state and context of their struggles and therefore > de-politicisation of students means direct assault to the working class > present and future struggles, which Prof Jansen also forms part. > > > > The disbandment of duly constituted SRC and replacement with management > appointed caretakers, this couldn’t have happened at the wrong time in > Africa more specifically, with so many uprisings against self imposed > leaderships in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Iran, etc. These examples might be on > a macro scale, however stock needs to be taken in that, these regimes > were/are not enjoying support from the people that they claim to represent > and hence the uprisings. Prof Jansen should therefore be understanding this > better, that the June 16, 1976 was as a results of a culmination of forced > medium of instruction, Afrikaans, above all political contestations. All in > all, the anatomy of imposition of one’s views to the other has been proved > beyond doubt that it’s an enigma to problem solving and is unsustainable. > This couldn’t have happened in the worst place, the higher education > institution, where core values of society that would continue to influence > nations are supposed to be crafted, it should be expected that this > generation of students would in future presume correctness of removal > democratically elected authority through undemocratic means, this is not a > catastrophic example to the momentum gained by democracy in the world but > worse for Africa. > > > > The resounding endorsement of banning of student political organisations by > the AfriForum Youth is rather suspicious that, perhaps all these activities > are part of a coordinated effort to depoliticise the students of UFS and > furthermore marginalise the voice of those that continue to be subject to > acts of racism within the institution. > > > > Lastly, the demand by the Reitz 4 for R1million in order for them to tell > the story of how they urinated and farted on dog food and gave it to the > black workers to eat is not only blasphemous to the reconciliation process > and the launch of the institute, its literally urine to the faces of all > those that believed these racist video former students have changed and are > remorseful. It proves further the incorrectness of the crass materialism, > that these idiots believe that even through the worst case of racism act, > there is an opportunity to amass wealth at the expense of black workers > dignity. The workers cannot therefore sit on the sidelines and watch while > their own are being subject to impunity, malign and humiliation. They should > speak out against the anatomy of muzzling debate and its enigma to solving > problems like > ANC<http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71619?oid=223369&sn=Marketingweb+detail>, > Cosatu<http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71619?oid=223366&sn=Marketingweb+detail>and > Trevor > Manuel<http://www.iol.co.za/news/politics/trevor-manuel-s-open-letter-to-jimmy-manyi-1.1034606>has > done against the racist comments by one Jimmy > Manyi on coloured > people<http://www.politicsweb.co.za/politicsweb/view/politicsweb/en/page71619?oid=223040&sn=Marketingweb+detail>, > which saw him > apologise<http://www.timeslive.co.za/Politics/article937985.ece/Blast-from-ANC-led-to-Manyi-apology>. > Racism needs not be tolerated in all its manifestations irrespective of > which race grouping that subjects the other to such a heinous atrocities, > it needs to be rebuked in strongest terms it deserves. > > Mr Azania Matiwane > Blog: > http://blogs.fin24.com/Azaniam/anatomy-of-muzzling-debate-and-its-enigma-to-solving-problems > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- You are subscribed. 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