I reflect with a deep concern the demise of our country. Demons have not left the country with the promulgation of freedom in 1994. They are still very much entrenched within our public systems and certainly, within ourselves. The difference between pre-1994 and post-1994 lies in that our demons have changed their faces and evidently deepened their complexity. Indeed it is true that all of us have sinned and have come short of God’s glory. We who participated in the anti-apartheid struggle are not holier than chief architects and agents of the then regime. We are simply different in terms of the type of evil we embrace and the degree to which we display it.
There is an element of truth in that we may have not fought against apartheid primarily because we loved freedom and the people, we may have fought against apartheid because we hated oppression and the oppressors. As such, the drive for our freedom has been predominately hatred against the system instead of love for the people. As a result, even when apartheid is officialised away, hatred is still trapped within us and expressed through different channels, primarily against the poor, known and unknown to us.
Within the past decade and a half, we may have missed an opportunity to concretise and complete the building of the foundation of our freedom. During the Mandela dispensation we missed the focus onto defining the stages of our freedom and attending to each with prerequisites and necessities it required. At this stage, we missed that the independence stage as it were, has to be preceded and preconditioned by the emancipation stage. It is at this first stage of freedom wherein the remnant of oppression within us is to be defined, identified and eradicated completely. It is often not material but ethereal in nature. From the Bible, with special reference to the book of Exodus, Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt but struggled without success to take Egypt out of them. Through the desert experience, it became evident that Egypt was never taken out of Israelites. As a result, the overwhelming majority of Israelites, including Moses, did not make it to the promised land. Even the generations which made, according to the book of Judges, had perpetual struggles with oppressions of different kinds whose sole cause was traceable to Egypt. The foundation for their freedom was shaky and incomplete — they had not dealt with the Egypt in them.
Similarly, we in South Africa have somewhat skipped the phase of dealing with the apartheid in us. We may have dealt with the apartheid institutionalised in the public systems but we have undermined, deliberately or otherwise, the possibility that by 1994, apartheid may have already transcended its conventional locus — it may have been located intrinsically within ourselves and through a psycho-spiritual osmosis, transferred into our very core. Part of the main reasons for this fatality is that we have overlooked the criticality of our spirituality, the spirituality that informed the anti-apartheid struggle of leaders such as Albert Mvimbi Luthuli and later on, younger leaders such as Frank Chikane.
Instead of building onto it we nullified its revolutionary orientation and dismissed its transformational impact. As a result, we did not introspect as to how much of apartheid was trapped within ourselves, particularly in terms of the spirituality and the mentality. One of the characteristics indicative of the apartheid demon’s effect in us is that we have become driven by the “hatred-against” impetus instead of the “love-for” impetus. It is not surprising that even when apartheid is officialised away, we cannot love the poor among us as we love ourselves.
To illustrate this point, currently as it has been tradition even before 1994, the economic gap between the poor and the rich has been widening. Recently we have even superseded that of Brazil — how come? The dignity of the poor in our hospitals has been incrementally degraded to an extent of human debasement — how come? The education of the poor has been incrementally ravaged by the fierce contestation for political power and economic resources between government and labour, the department of basic education and the South African Democratic Teachers’ Union in particular. This contestation has been perpetuated at the expense, impoverishment and marginalisation of the poor.
These labour strikes in education though legal, are technically incorrect and morally wrong. They reinforce the apartheid’s historical trends and establishments in that, only former black schools are consistently disrupted to the very core. The former coloured, former white and former Indian schools never get disrupted as much and these are schools wherein the children of teachers in former black schools attend without fail. This means that in the current and future scenarios as it has been historically, the majority of the South African poor, will perpetually toil tirelessly in the widening gyre of oppression, it be economic or otherwise.
The bitter truth is that, on one hand, the viability of South African markets can only be sustained primarily by a significantly educated workforce but the reality is that, on the other hand, in the near future as it has already begun, the poor who still constitute the majority in this country will fail to compete for jobs in the domestic economy and the fewer that will be absorbed, will fail to compete for leadership especially in critical occupations. The racial imbalance in this regard, will still be maintained.
The historical fact is that education, at the micro level, is the only way through which the majority of individuals and families can cut and curb the vicious cycle of oppression and at a macro level, it is the only backbone for the lasting sustenance, development and growth of an economy such as ours. The acculturation of labour strikes, whatever the cause, is systematically sacrificing the future of this country and her people, especially the poor, at the altar of a cyclical oppression. This oppression is intertwined with and reciprocated by, among others, illiteracy, HIV and Aids, premature pregnancies, prostitution, armed crime, break-down of marriages and family structures, gender inequality, abject poverty and the slow down and regress of economic development.
As it may be too late already, as a matter of urgency and critical importance, the education provision service by teachers must be categorised as an essential service and government must, readjust her approach to teacher remuneration, capacity building and leadership. Also, we as parents, youth, churches and business should transform the way we approach our conceptualisation, responsibility and accountability in education. We must unite to improve and mainstream our contribution and at the same time, intensify the demand for a structural and consistent justice, peace and progress in the education system.
However, the turnaround of the system is impossible without the spiritual revolution and intellectual transformation of the system. The first phase of freedom is emancipation but the first step of emancipation is spiritual rekindling. It is through a spiritual rekindling that a spiritual introspection is possible. Spiritual introspection affords one an opportunity to critique oneself prior to being critiqued by others — this is the highest standard and moral of constructive criticism.
In the desert Moses could not take out the Egypt in the Israelites because Egypt had already killed the spirituality of Israelites. Israelites needed a spiritual resurrection before they could actualise the releasing of Egypt trapped in them. Similarly, our education system needs a spiritual redemption in order to disengage the apartheid spirituality in itself and allow the conscience, consciousness and intellectuality to precipitate self-reflection, re-organisation and actualisation.
No material condition is possible and sufficient for teachers to teach, only the spiritual revolution, intellectual transformation and emotional transcendence can fulfil these three needs aforementioned. This is a three-pronged premise onto which political, economic, social, technological, environment and legal development can anchor and unleash true freedom.
A context for learning and excellence:
I am in basic agreement with the points raised by Koos but I would address them in different terms. Words like ‘redemption, spiritual revolution, intellectual transformation and emotional transcendence, spiritual ‘rekindling’, etc, carry both religious and political freight in the context of South Africa’s history and present sorry state.
The terms by themselves may be innocuous but they will be applied in a partisan, literal fashion by ‘populists’ who latch onto and subvert their actual meaning. I’d like to try a somewhat different approach.
The personal and intellectual skills people need in order to function in the ‘work world’ require an approach to education that supersedes any religious, political or narrowly construed ‘cultural’ belief systems. In a Democracy, education must be aimed at freeing the intellect from allegiance to rigid belief systems of any kind. This is a subtle point. It requires perceiving ‘democracy’, not in terms of a political system, but in terms of a philosophy of life in which equality is understood from a human perspective not just a legal one.
The hallmarks of such a philosophy include interpersonal respect, the application of reason not force in expressing differences of opinion, respect for the principle of informed debate as opposed to emotional ranting, the evaluation of ideas on the basis of their potential merit and not just on immediate utility, and a commitment to discovering what is true (subject to evidence) rather than what is merely comfortable and familiar.
tbc
School is not Church. Education is not about belief or ‘taking things on faith’. It is about learning to question what we previously took for granted or assumed to be true without examining it closely. Education is about being able to distinguish that which is personal preference from that which can be tested for its validity.
Early education is not exempt from these values. Learning should be an adventure, a pleasure in mastering a new skill or understanding a new idea. Learning is not just supposed to be fun; LEARNING IS FUN. It is enthralling, exciting, rewarding and never-ending when it is done well.
Children take to education enthusiastically when they get to participate in the process rather than just ‘receiving’ information. This means doing REAL things that provide a real result. Solving a puzzle that requires learning how to place ‘like with like’, how to find ‘opposites’, etc. It begins with pictures but results in literacy and numeracy and a desire to keep going on to the next skill or idea.
Learning is NOT accomplished by lock-step, ‘mass education’. All education is ultimately self-education. Granted, rote learning in groups is effective for some the rudiments of literacy (alphabet songs) and numeracy (counting). But beyond that level, education is more diffuse. It is about using literacy to extend the range of knowledge and using numeracy to solve problems and using both to function in the ‘real world’ by applying them everywhere, not ‘just’ in school.
Education is reality.
A context for learning and excellence:
I am in basic agreement with the points raised by Sekete but I would address them in different terms. Words like ‘redemption, spiritual revolution, intellectual transformation and emotional transcendence, spiritual ‘rekindling’, etc, carry both religious and political freight in the context of South Africa’s history and present sorry state.
The terms by themselves may be innocuous but they will be applied in a partisan, literal fashion by ‘populists’ who latch onto and subvert their actual meaning. I’d like to try a somewhat different approach.
The personal and intellectual skills people need in order to function in the ‘work world’ require an approach to education that supersedes any religious, political or narrowly construed ‘cultural’ belief systems. In a Democracy, education must be aimed at freeing the intellect from allegiance to rigid belief systems of any kind. This is a subtle point. It requires perceiving ‘democracy’, not in terms of a political system, but in terms of a philosophy of life in which equality is understood from a human perspective not just a legal one.
The hallmarks of such a philosophy include interpersonal respect, the application of reason not force in expressing differences of opinion, respect for the principle of informed debate as opposed to emotional ranting, the evaluation of ideas on the basis of their potential merit and not just on immediate utility, and a commitment to discovering what is true (subject to evidence) rather than what is merely comfortable and familiar.
tbc
Sorry, Sekete, I typed the wrong name in my comment. Obviously, I was responding to your blog not to Koos! Mea culpa!
The best analysis I have read on the state of the nation in a very long time…
A very fine article, worthy of Biko and Fanon. I admire the spirituality and deep thought of your analysis.I have also been deeply troubled by the crude, crass Verwoerd-level “hatred-against” impetus that I have read on comments before (read carefully the misanthropic ‘Dave Harris’comments for the most extreme example), but this is only part of the problem. The real concern is that the apartheid paradigm is seen as intrinsic and permanent, rather than an aberration both extrinsic and temporal. This would trouble Biko, as the most postive aspect is how people have the ability and the strength to throw off all their chains, both external and internal, and to enter sunlit lands. There is a message of hope here, for those of courage and goodwill. Your message is fine and noble, and your words have courage.
Sekete, your analogy is interesting. However, had Moses told the Israelites before they left Egypt that they would need to wage and win a war against the fierce tribes of Canaan to “inherit” the land promised by their God, many may have chosen to stay in Egypt. Most must have assumed that a“promised land” would be simply handed to them. Similarly, if the ANC told black South Africans honestly that their freedom from Apartheid would not instantly deliver longed for wealth to them all without hard work, that party may have had far less enthusiastic support. We now understand better that the wealth and success of white South Africans, though certainly aided by the racist bias of their regime, was not entirely due to those laws. Most of the wealth was not “stolen” from black people, but created by the hard work of many South Africans of all races, largely initiated and orchestrated by white entrepreneurship. The “demons” in us today are not as much “spiritual” as a growing distrust in our own politicians who gave us these false expectations. And some continue to do so today. If they intentionally misled us, just to reach the feeding trough first, that is unforgiveable.
It is sad that very, very few South Africans will be able to comprehend your writings. Even highly educated people will have to re-read much of your text to make sense? of it. May I suggest that you communicate plainly, for all to understand, and not try to confuse the world at large with your erudite ramblings.
I agree with most all of the points you posit except one, “No material condition is possible and sufficient for teachers to teach”. This is patently untrue. The working conditions of SADTU affiliated teachers are atrocious. They work in overcrowded classrooms that are under resourced. The schools in which they work lack facilities taken for granted in former Model C schools such as science and computer labs, libraries and sports and recreation facilities. Students have rights which their teachers cannot willy-nilly trample upon making victims out of teachers to abuse and even violence perpetrated against them by students. The salaries and benefits which are paid to these teachers are not proportional to the conditions which they have to stomach day in, day out, hence their decision to strike. These are material conditions that if improved upon will motivate teachers to be more dedicated to their calling. It cannot be expected of teachers to accept sub-standard working conditions and pay and produce sterling results. Yes spiritual revival is necessary but in light of the excesses and thievery of top government, whose indescretions and lack of delivery are daily reported on in the media and are a lived experience by the majority of us, whose role and purpose isn’t immediately apparent to your average Joe, how can ordinary public servants be expected to perform at their peak?
Sekete, I really enjoyed your article. In my opinion, previously disadvantaged South Africans will only progress when they lose their unhealthy obsession with the status of their former opressors.
There is a the great saying that the best revenge is to be happy, and I think that this country will progress when the majority, forget about redress and worry about progress.
Good reading, in fact its great reading! You write the truth Sekete.
Hi Sekete,
I agree with Pete as far as the “big” words are concerned and the fact that our poor will never see this article let alone be able to comprehend words that need Google Define for them to make sense.
All that aside, this is an article that I will spread far and wide because the sense in it is undeniable.
Interesting article and I find common ground with the debate I had with a friend as to why South Korea, a nation which was oppressed by the japanese, has progressed significantly in technology and in some areas and are even better that Japan. The argument I put across was that the Koreans stopped blaming Japan for their woes and focused on developing themselves. In a sense, they took Japan out of their system, corrected what japan had wronged and moved forward. We are still ‘in the struggle’,and so is Zimbabwe some 30 years after freedom. Until we stop ‘struggling’ and look forward to nation building as it should be done we will languish at the bottom of the nations of the world’s progress list.
Mr Khanye, thanks for a thoughtprovoking read, the central message is clear to those who believe and even to those who choose not to believe in the equal relevance of a spiritual perspective alongside the social, political, economic etc.
While I find the Egypt example uncomfortable, I will rather focus on the principle you point to and take away this universal quote ‘Spiritual introspection affords one an opportunity to critique oneself prior to being critiqued by others — this is the highest standard and moral of constructive criticism’.
Very good work Sekete, really worthy of a Thought Leader, I think. I only partly agree though as I think SA people are fundamentally good and able to get over the wounds of apartheid given support and care. I think this should comprise strong, honest and competent leadership. Leaders should set an example of looking positively to the future and do everything practical to provide an environment in which individual aspirations can take root and flourish.
To date, sadly, we have had pretty much the opposite and we know this doesn’t work.
Nice thoughts!
Reality one: people cannot forget. Memories are stronger as the injustice were experienced more intrusive.
reality two: people can forgive. This is often a personal decision and sometimes based on a trade off between the personal value of personal benefits of “forgiving” or “not forgiving”
In securing political power, the political fraternity in SA has -during the last 15 years- been exploiting the memories. In so doing, they have stagnated (or blocked) the forgiveness process.
The recent strike actions have highlighted that this same government alliance is not reading from the same hymn book. This creates confusion amongst the supporters and creates insecurity amongst all others.
The pathetic calls for “flag waving” and “support SA” from JZ and others during the world cup are testimony of the insecurity amongst our leaders.
The latest acknowledgement from the Dept of Agriculture that pre-1994 policies and strategies were not all that bad for SA. This might be the beginning of a turnaround for the better.
In my view, apartheid was rather ‘father – child’ than ‘master – slave’. It patronised and enraged, for sure, but it was not intended to ruin. The hatred of which you speak is fanned by flames fed with lies and inappropriate metaphors. If we could get to the truth we could probably find a way out. But we won’t, ever, because it doesn’t suit some people to make progress.
Briliant assesment SEKETE and excelent analysis SIOBHAN, however I feel that the root of the problem lies with the current members of the so callen aliance that is dominated more and more by the comunists.
The marxist comunist doctrine is to deny the population access to information other than that spread by the ruling elite and that means denying the people access to decent education.Once the people get CLEAVER they tend to reject the ruling party and that is not convenient.
Blade was recently reported to have said that the unemployed/uneducated youth could be expected to rise to show disatisfaction with the current situation, a situation purposedely set up by the alliance, especially the SACP, expecting to benefit politicaly by any uprising so that they then implement their brand of comunism/marxism
assisted by such a group of the population.
For 16 years the alliance messed up education and more, with a purpose.
It is time to wake up and the component of the ANC that rejects the SACP/COSATO group to come forward and break the aliance before all is lost.
Very sad to think it has come to pass that you needed to write this; it must, in some ways have been quite difficult. You are to be congratulated.
better the Demon you know?