From: mokaba@binah.cc.brandeis.edu
Subject: The point... why turn Gavin African?
Reply-To: mokaba@binah.cc.brandeis.edu
Organization: Brandeis University
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 06:39:07 GMT

because of the rather unexpected responses that I have been getting both 
on the E-mail an on the net, I have decided to move straight to the point
my strory. For those that followed my argument I have presented the typical
if not the eception condition of an african university student and the 
extent to which by being contiously short changed by the government as 
an individual and overtaxed as a group.. the poverty that has stiken the 
African today can be attributed to the Apartheid years. I have not received
any oposition to my discription of the contrast between african children
and children of white South African ... For that matter I would like to 
make the following suggestion if you may. 
1. Since it is clear that the levels of expenditure in white population 
have been biased against the african in South Africa.. to attain equity
(and if you believe in practicality attain balanced national development
that will lead SA onto a future equivalent with its peer country we 
need to reinvest in the nations human resourse ... ie its people in way
that goes beyond group interest... Group or minority right have as we 
know (ie the protection of minority riught) has led us through a condition]
that is conducive only to continuous suffering turning SA into a basket case.
Unfortunately the idea of cutting level of expenditures among white schools
and universities are not popular and may not pass... but unfortunately so
are the contunued inequitable spending of such funds. Believe me readers 
the African communities will not rest untill there are some justice and 
fairness to the distribution of resources. Likewise the economic forces
will contunue to relentlessly seek humanpower and better ones too..

The rather romantic idea espoused by a lot of writers in this group that 
the universities that have catered for the africans be closed is a pie
in the sky... we need more and better institution not the elimination of
resources... We as a country cannot affor to "kid" ourselves that we 
turn the coutry to market forces overnight..ie leave everything to the
invisible hand  and hope for the best... education a basis for the 
effective economy directed by the "visible" or rather semi-visible
and traslucent hand is the one way that the economic power house of this
world has seen their way out.. Being in academic, I am rather frustrated
by the rather partisan views that some people take to the issue of national
education... one cannot dispute the fact that the process of paying our 
debts... incurred during the many yaers that we undereducated our 
young people on the assumption that they were african and that they will
never turn up on you backyard (unless of course on a early monday 
morning looking for any job). Falks those days are over and pholosopher
and mathematicians alike... need address themselves to this issue...
Truely the young of our country will appear in your launges in the 
Suburbs of sweet old rosebank... on you TV... They will be there 
For we as a country has lost an oportunity and decide that it was 
okay to expend our young before they are ripe enough to attain the very
things that today even the most conservatives of all South African can
stand and say that I am South African and I stand for change...

As you may know I am not in the business of throwing stones but,,, it is 
rather important for those that believe that we van continue to have the
inequality that we have had in eucation to realize that education 
educational undeexpenditure is nothing but a good formular for failure..
It is the one that fermts the discontent and the lack of progress in the 
level of productivity in the country.... Did we as South African need
to wait for the poeple like Harari and Beaty (1989) to tell us that
the level of productivity in the country is tied somewhat to the
extent to which we have invested in the infrastructure of the country
the hunman resources and the way we let our line worker travel minimum 
fifty odd kilo in an uncomfortable bus before beginning work...
(how actually do you feel after riding at the back of a truck at 5 am)
Allow me to say that for those who believe in protecting the socalled
community services allowing only people that live in the area to use them 
such a library facility... "the protection of market has never been 
an effective way of enhancing product competitiveness...


On Violence an antional interest
In the past odd months and the peak of the massacre at Boipatong
-I have notice the high level of emotion and the sides that are

being taken by participant in this group...I do not want to reinvent the
debate, but it seems that the aments have largely been of two kinds
1. where is your proof
2. your are Bleep... yo silly bleep bleem mother bleeeeeeep brrrrrrr!
No doubt that the camp that seem clearly include a group of pro
emperical proof beyond cincism and those that use previousevidence as 
proof of such involvement by the government... or the ANC...or for
that matter Inkatha. Unfortunately the type of argument does not seem 
to to any clear ending ...nor are empasse's clearly visible...
Futhermore I have also notice a relentless interest modifying and justifying
the past and diminishing the bads on issues prefered while highlighing the
goodon sides that are prefered.. I cannot but find this effort futile at
in the least and dangerous at worse. One thing clear that I hope not to 
ingnore is the value of descent (hope the epelling is correct) in the
process.. but.. It spites me to deal with four letter words.

Maybe we need to deal with simple or rather fundermental of debating an
issue. First one need to clarify to onelsef about the goal of ones 
argument and clearly state the objective in one form or another...
To this effect I have found some of the responses to issues to be
highly without goal in reality... Unless ones goal is to filabust
in which case i would clear I will pass.. But underneath the
arguments I have seen hear are fears and anger that are typical of 
no other country but "Laat... bars SA". While I am in tears and angry 
about the killing in Boipatong...I hope not to use this group as therapy
but to achieve some stated goal. Factual clarity both speculative fact
and "real" fact.. and tentative policy and posible startegies that can
be taken by any of the sides involved...  In my year of bantu education
english we learn by phrases such as "when men fail to reason he applies
force" in this case get angry.. I we are to get to the solutions sometimes
we need to move beyong high school an college debates where the
object is largely to barrage you oponent (antagonist!!!) with facts or
confuse them with students companion or Hume(in this case). Such debates in
my view are mental chewing-gum that satisfy not the hunger of the mind to
reach solution but feed thour shattered egos in sence of gratification that
(oops!) mia culpa!.. But at the end of the day we remain on the ivoryower
of educational centreof the world slapping each other like agry toddlers.
Goals..
The killing in boipato is unsempathitic threat to the welfare of anyone SA.
It affects all of us directly by losing relatives and friends and to those 
that hope its a political game.. it is one that will lead to serious
catastrophy.. 
THis is getting longb and will be continued in the next notes...
please bear with me.
I am simply interest in Free South Africa, equity and Justice....
is that too much to ask?
Madimetja Mokaba