Bekuyizolo oku,it was just recent that the management of Wits got students arrested for demanding their educational rights @ the university. Will the honorable Prof take it kindly 2 have himself or his child arrested for demanding own rights? Perhaps the Prof is simply using the phrases that he does not understand to appease his audience! Cde George - Pretoria Sent via my BlackBerry from Vodacom - let your email find you!
-----Original Message----- From: mandlakhe radebe <[email protected]> Sender: [email protected] Date: Thu, 6 Oct 2011 10:26:02 To: <[email protected]> Reply-To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [YCLSA Discussion] MESSAGE FROM THE OFFICE OF THE VICE-CHANCELLOR & PRINCIPAL Why does Prof Nongxa fail to portray the same vigour to deal with many undemocratic/backward tendencies that characterise his Wits University? The RSC has asked pertinent questions on the management refusal to allow the cleaners a democratic right to march on campus? This country is besieged by social issues and the VC and his supporters have been mum on many? The transformation at Wits remains a pertinent questions that the VC in almost ten years has dismally failed to address? The list is endless. This is sheer hypocracy by Wits management and many of us will never be fooled. On Thu, Oct 6, 2011 at 10:14 AM, Trevor Kekana <[email protected]> wrote: > STATEMENT BY THE VICE-CHANCELLOR & PRINCIPAL OF WITS UNIVERSITY > > on Wednesday, 5 October 2011, > > the day of the Wits protest march against the South African Government > > for its indecision on granting a visa to his Holiness the Dalai Lama to > visit Wits University and South Africa > > > > “I would like to preface my remarks by reminding all of us of two commonly > used phrases, one in English and one in my mother tongue, Xhosa. It states > that: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. > > > > The second one is a reminder often used by my late mother, to remind me that > I will always be her child or her baby. Maybe there are similar phrases in > other languages and in Xhosa it states: Bekuyizolo oku. A literal > translation is `As recently as yesterday ….. or it could be stated as “It’s > not that long ago that…….. or “Lest we forget …. > > > > Bekuyizolo oku - it is not that long ago that a fellow academic from our > sister institution based in Auckland Park and everywhere else, and his > family, including a 10-year old son, was denied entry into the United States > of America for reasons which were never explained. We were outraged. > > > > Bekuyizolo oku, it is not that long ago that Emeritus Archbishop Tutu was > refused entry into Israel, and we were outraged. > > > > It is not that long ago that Renfrew Christie or Tokyo Sexwale were refused > entry into US, and the reason was that they were convicted by the Apartheid > Regime under Terrorism Act. This applies to our Chairperson of Council, > Saki Macozoma, it applies to the Chancellor of our University, Dikgang > Moseneke who was convicted at the age of 15 and was incarcerated at Robben > island for 10 years. > > > > It is not that long ago, during the era of War on Terror, that you and I and > most of us felt violated that we were stopped and searched and asked many > questions and we sometimes felt that we were singled out because we looked > differently, of a darker hue. > > > > It is not that long ago that the Apartheid Regime refused passports to those > it deemed no longer South African citizens under its discredited Bantustan > Policy. It is not that long ago that under the abominable Pass Laws, those > of us who were deemed rural were not allowed to move to urban areas (without > permission) or if you were urban you were restricted to Soweto or > Gugulethu. It is not that long ago that the Apartheid Regime routinely > refused entry to scholars and academics and their sin was that they haboured > by their definition, ‘dangerous ideas’ like being a Communist. > > > > It is not that long ago that people of African ancestry from the rest of the > African continent were not issued with visas unless they came to our shores > as cheap labour. It is not that long ago that John Vorster, in his offices > at the Union Buildings, maybe the same office as that occupied by our > President, was denied entry to a cricket team from the UK because it had one > Basil D’Oliviera, once classified as Coloured, but emigrated and went to > pursue his trade in England. He almost torpedoed a visit by the All Blacks > in 1970 becaue a team member, Bryan Williams was of Samoan origin. > > > > I am disappointed and outraged that there are these parallels between my > government and the actions of the previous regime. > > > > Secondly, I would like to remind us that, central to the vibrancy and > success of the Academic Project is ‘mobility’, it is ‘connectedness’ - > sharing ideas and information. We were attracted to the world of ideas > because of this. We are located on the southernmost tip of Africa and unless > we are part of the global community of scholars, we are doomed and we will > be left behind. It is frightening to think that it could be a scholar > invited to one of our conferences that would be made to feel unwelcome. > > > > Thirdly, we owe people like Emeritus Archbishop Tutu a great deal of > gratitude. During the dark days of apartheid he spoke out. He reminded the > regime, us and the world of those that those that were exiled, that were > imprisoned that were incarcerated were our true leaders. e stood up to be > counted. How can those that are the custodians of the legacy of OR Tambo, > Nelson Mandela, Govan Mbeki deny this wonderful South African, his wish to > spend his 80th birthday with his dear friend, His Holiness the Dalai Lama. > It is not consistent with our African soul to make a prospective guest feel > unwelcome. I was brought up to believe that a guest brings blessings and > South Africa in the 21st century sends signals that some guests are > unwanted. It is deeply, deeply disappointing. > > > > Prof. Loyiso Nongxa > > Vice-Chancellor & Principal > > 5 October 2011 > > > > http://www.investec.com/en_group/#home/legal/email_disclaimer.html > > The disclaimer also provides our corporate information and names of our > directors as required by law. > > The disclaimer is deemed to form part of this message in terms of Section 11 > of the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002. > If you cannot access the disclaimer, please obtain a copy thereof from us by > sending an email to: [email protected] > > -- > You are subscribed. This footer can help you. > Please POST your comments to [email protected] or reply to > this message. > You can visit the group WEB SITE at > http://groups.google.com/group/yclsa-eom-forum for different delivery > options, pages, files and membership. > To UNSUBSCRIBE, please email [email protected] . > You don't have to put anything in the "Subject:" field. 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