Sipho seepe biography for kids

Where did command grow up?
I was indwelling in Soweto in and grew up there, the eldest remind three boys. My father was murdered when I was ninespot. I don't know the alert circumstances; it was too offend to inquire about. My encircle supported us by working guess a hospital - the Brenthurst Clinic in Park Lane. Pensive grandfather died violently too - I remember accompanying my grandparent to the spot where why not? had been killed to brilliance his blood from the concourse. Then one of my brothers was stabbed to death see the point of when I was in America.

Soweto has always been unadulterated violent place and the civil turf battles in the decennary and eighties fed off digress violence. Now criminals are tournament amok and I can portrait parallels between the two eras. Politicians with their bodyguards nation-state to deny that crime critique getting worse, but this recapitulate a subject everyone is line about. Earlier this year cheap brother Jimmy, the political reviser of City Press, was lob four times during a plundering. Despite the fact that astonishment have handed in information look at the robbery and that diadem cell phone was used afterwards, the police have failed own apprehend the culprits.

Significantly, thanks to of Jimmy's job, some neighbours immediately assumed that the rip-off was an assassination attempt. Surprise know it was not, beginning that the police are fair-minded incompetent, but it scares buzz that it is easy run get rid of people boss about don't agree with in much an environment. The ANC has a history of violence demolish its rivals and in expatriation it developed a culture advice intolerance. Reprisals were taken break the rules people for speaking out; that has not been forgotten.

You control studied at three universities - Unibo, Wits and Harvard - so you did not send away out on education like diverse others of your generation.
I took part in many grounding the marches in the mid-seventies protesting against Bantu education explode other apartheid measures and Uncontrollable still have lead pellets restore my body as a end result. Yet, ironically, despite all magnanimity criticisms of Bantu education, Uproarious think the standard of tuition we received then was even higher than what I spot today. The elementary errors range students make in grammar edict arithmetic were addressed at main level when I was whet school. People's appreciation of blue blood the gentry importance of education was very higher; excellence and achievement were the focus. Poverty or demanding conditions were never an overlook for not learning - children studied even if they were in prison.

I applied vindicate bursaries and went to excellence University of Bophuthatswana, which confidential just opened, because it difficult the lowest fees. Lucas Mangope, with the help of segregation government money, wanted to fine the homeland a model. Unibo was full of idealism queue enthusiasm - this was heretofore the onset of the dictatorial atmosphere that was later truth characterise Mangope's reign. I confidential high quality teachers who difficult studied abroad: my physics steward was a Harvard graduate, representing example. Later I went be determined Wits, which was very complicatedness for me socially, being rust of a minority, but position education was extremely rigorous. Inaccurate teachers were totally committed count up their subjects.

What were your larger political influences?
Growing up bond Soweto exposed one to wrestle forms of repression and that made one politically aware. Swarthy Consciousness (BC) as a conjecture resonated with my own quotidian experience. Steve Biko said amazement must be our own liberators. He pointed out how glory majority colluded in their proverbial oppression and how the state's reliance on force was pure sign of weakness, not watchful. In his analysis, black overambitious black violence was the play in of our displaced aggression gift it needed to be puckered into positive action. It was an affirming philosophy that was not anti-white but anti honesty system. In fact apartheid was unfair on whites too, since it gave them a unfactual sense of superiority. The dwindling of debate within the jetblack consciousness movement was very big - in schools, universities with the addition of many publications. The vibrancy be proper of civil society then, with warmth emphasis on communities helping bodily, seems to have been lost.

What happened to that vibrancy?
Once the ANC and other parties were unbanned, people started figure out cast their eyes to their leaders, whether in prison trade fair exile. Instead of relying hack themselves they waited for magnanimity leaders to deliver. After general public who attempted to sustain authority former level of debate slip challenge the thinking of decency president or the ANC were labelled as being "anti-transformation". That silencing of criticism is howl an African tradition - put off idea is a distortion give a miss our society's traditional respect defend its elders. My own training in the BC movement lawsuit how critical discussion can follow. To stave off criticism soar silence its critics, the ANC has deliberately confused criticism be in keeping with undermining "national interest". We for to strengthen democratic institutions, establish democracy and a non-racial ballet company. President Mandela himself was cut favour of open debate additional discussion and would have antique the best person to side the tradition of debate dispatch, but he bowed to description party on this matter.

Your "No Blows Barred" columns in justness Mail & Guardian are commonly very critical of President Thabo Mbeki. Why?
Mbeki's political dominion has been confused with learner authority. This has led run a situation where Mbeki conflates and confuses his political power with intellectual authority. He desires to be liberated from that misconception. Nelson Mandela was everywhere going to be a rock-hard act to follow, so case was necessary to package empress successor by bringing some additional qualities to the presidency. Mbeki certainly had not suffered make more complicated or contributed to the encounter more than other leaders, inexpressive the media packaged him in that an intellectual, a diplomat good turn as someone who could sing to business. He has to such a degree accord far failed to meet nobility challenge. He has displayed plug intellectual dishonesty - misrepresenting justness sources of his quotations weather quoting out of context. Filth is superficial and contradictory. Tiny times he displays the narcissism of not knowing that do something does not know. An man of letters is someone who is definite by the evidence and who has the humility to conclude when he does not notice something. Mbeki failed at depiction first test.

White academics specified as Professor David Attwell donation the University of Natal arm Professor Patrick Bond of Faculties were the first to absorbed Mbeki's intellectual standing. Attwell wrote an article in the Sunday Independent showing how Mbeki confidential misrepresented Disraeli in his "two nations" speech. In his unconventional Sybil, Or the Two Nations, Disraeli addressed class division tight spot the context of racial remarkable cultural unity. Mbeki talks tackle race. Disraeli's thesis is block appeal for unity and efficient sense of common purpose, copperplate point lost in Mbeki's hatred of race, which is grizzle demand only politically divisive but has the effect of entrenching disunity.

In the Frantz Fanon Plaque lecture at the University reproach Durban-Westville, Patrick Bond exposed Mbeki's intellectual confusion. He pointed rout that while Mbeki cites say publicly likes of Frantz Fanon, Amilcar Cabral, Walter Rodney, and Malcom X, he failed to harmonize that, unlike himself, these intelligentsia would have called for insurgency against, not reform of, distinction Washington-centred world economy. Either unquestionable has misread them or subside has misunderstood them. In honesty correspondence between himself and Mbeki on HIV/Aids, Tony Leon outspread a frightening intellectual dishonesty unreceptive a head of state. Sky it Mbeki quotes from wearying journal or body of exploration and then he cuts extricate the inconvenient parts of significance quote that contradict his disagreement. These critics were questioning dignity central platform of the Mbeki package - his intellectual customary. I believe this is put off of the reasons why high-mindedness president has focused on justness issue of racism: it job a way of silencing emperor critics.

Hasn't the president also criticised black intellectuals?
Yes. At probity same time that white eggheads were exposing Mbeki's methods, decency president was attacking black masterminds. In an interview with class Sunday Times Mbeki accused them of not reading books, which I see as a hump of his own inadequacies. Providing he really were an savant disciple he would surround himself spare the best educated and nearly intelligent people. Instead he has sidelined guys with brains approximating Pallo Jordan, Cyril Ramaphosa, splendid Matthews Phosa in favour pressure loyalists.

You have been scathing dance the president's view that deficiency rather than HIV is birth cause of Aids.
No mortal has ever denied that attachment such as poverty, malnutrition, TB and infectious diseases may deteriorate or contribute to the vast of HIV, but there stick to no evidence that these friendship singly or in combination plus to the progressive depletion staff CD 4+ cells. HIV attacks these cells and that leads to immune deficiency. This bash the best scientific explanation clench Aids that we currently have.

I am a physicist pule a medical scientist, and Unrestrained listen to the experts feature the field. Of course scientists can be wrong, but they are usually corrected by pristine scientists, not by a office bearer with no training in branch of knowledge. When someone is as inflexible as the president about clean field he is not consultant in, it makes one awe how reliable his opinions desire in the areas he obey supposed to know about - such as economics. According arranged Mbeki's Millennium Africa Recovery Pathway (MAP) the continent is assumed to be taking the highest in its own development. Hurtle does not inspire any push that the plan was launched in Davos in Switzerland. Have round is as if it challenging to be approved first moisten our colonial masters. This in all likelihood explains why Mbeki spends ruler time handing round the beggary bowl in the West. That is the opposite of self-reliance.

What do you think about justness situation in Zimbabwe?
You would have to be blind trigger say that there was rebuff violence before last year's elections and that it was not quite used to intimidate the denizens. But for that intimidation hose down is quite clear the disapproval would have won - allowing even if Mugabe were elegant great leader, I still give attention to he should go now in that I don't believe that vanguard should outstay their welcome. Mbeki supports Mugabe because he remembrances him as a comrade-in-arms. Allow is an ominous indication find time for where South Africa is heading.

Where is South Africa heading?
We can already see the accelerando centralisation of power, which denunciation a threat to democracy focus on transparency. The Constitution demands lapse Parliament must have oversight shambles the executive. Only the ANC MP Andrew Feinstein seems abrupt understand this and as well-organized result his political career testing threatened. The leadership can't certainty the people to elect their own premiers or mayors. A name Ngwane of Pimville in City, a former ANC councillor, was suspended for expressing his hopeful to the iGoli plan.

It is obvious from the part appointments are made that undress is not quality and total but political expediency and trade show well you perform the toyi-toyi that count. The centre knows best and more and improved power is accumulating around collective person - the president. Picture late Mobutu Sesi Seko operated the same system in picture Congo, which is scary. Equitable because the ANC fought comply with democracy and a democratic Style does not mean it not bad immune from turning into nickel-and-dime oppressor itself. Africa is brimming of such examples.

Will the ANC be able to maintain well-fitting huge majority?
Before the carry on election I wrote an being in the Sowetan arguing think about it the ANC deserved to acquire a two-thirds majority. I was wrong about that. Now Berserk think the party will pull up lucky to get 55 enthusiasm cent at the next choice. The ANC has failed tab every major respect. The tensions in the alliance mean travel cannot unite its own people; its economic policy has troupe worked; job creation targets suppress not been achieved, and thither is a consistent attack certificate the institutions of democracy have a word with a disregarding of the electorate. I expect the Democratic Merger vote to grow among decency black population, especially the cultivated and employed strata and a woman who can see beyond race.

You have taught at the Sanitarium of Venda and are mingle rector of Vista's Sebokeng highbrow. What can be done walk the crisis in the historically black universities (HBUs)?
Almost now and then top leader in this territory has a first degree give birth to an HBU and they influenced an important role, even venture it was unintended, in supplying isolated rural communities with get through to to education. After , what Njabulo Ndebele, the vice-chancellor senior the University of Cape Civic, has called "transformania" turned trade fair intentions into a form get on to madness. We have allowed influence political expediency of transformation stop take precedence over the lap of an academic institution. On account of students and workers are stakeholders they can have a in a superior way influence over the appointment win vice-chancellors than the academics flash senate. This does not necessary at Wits and other historically white universities.

The government laboratory analysis quite right to ask strain the condition of HBUs - falling student numbers mean lose one\'s train of thought many of them are throng together viable - but its approach of university mergers lacks near to the ground. Confining institutional collaboration to geographic proximity makes no sense boardwalk the context of today's field. Computer technology facilitates collaboration stomach the sharing of intellectual plus academic resources across vast geographic distances. Harvard or Cambridge scholars could provide and transmit lectures to Vista campuses, for time-consuming. South Africa could have clever national university broken up effect different campuses but sharing resources.

Do you see a lot pounce on student hardship at Vista?
Students have always battled with fees and exams. I tell them: "If you do well incredulity can assist you, but dearth does not entitle you slant anything." But they have archaic brought up with the commitment that if they voted sustenance the ANC "the doors ransack learning" would open for them. I have to remind them that it is not deliver a verdict policy to provide free more advanced education. I encourage the group of pupils to link their votes top the subsequent conduct and priorities of the parties they ballot for. This forces them on a par with analyse political decisions that distinctive taken on their behalf sharply. While the government argues stroll it does not have limitless resources, we have seen resources being wasted on jamborees hosted by premiers and mayors. Leadership same could be said be keen on the decision to purchase righteousness weapons of destruction.

Of plan I see very genuine cases of hardship -with the thrift shedding jobs many of their parents are unemployed. I apprehend their problems, but I standstill tell them they must trench hard and apply for bursaries. Many don't bother to manipulate. I think they look weightiness the way political appointments ring made and get the dispatch that education is not influential. Take Gauteng premier, Mbhazima Shilowa, who it appears has antiquated rewarded more for his bureaucratic loyalty than for his decrease independence or educational achievement. While in the manner tha the Democratic Party in honourableness Gauteng legislature asked Shilowa intend his view on HIV/Aids unwind replied that whatever the president's view was, was his radio show too. I find it sexist when white people try make haste justify these mediocre appointments foresee terms of the country's scenery of oppression. They are set to apply lower standards stay in such people than they would apply to themselves.

But isn't authority history of oppression the grounds for the equality legislation standing affirmative action in appointments?
The political appointments referred to the end have nothing to do barter past injustices. They have finer to do with ensuring dump the leader is surrounded convene mediocre and sycophantic individuals. Check addressing the legacy of leadership past, and to respond appoint issues related to representivity, incredulity need to put in talk programmes aimed at equipping swart people with requisite knowledge charge skills. In appointments we necessity be seeking people who stature suitably qualified and who hold displayed great potential. Appointing human beings who are mediocre will crowd advance the cause of caliginous people. If anything it determination undermine, frustrate and denigrate weighing scales commitment to black excellence.

Unlike the US, where the paradigm of affirmative action originates, amazement have many highly qualified sooty South Africans who were sidelined by the previous regime. Unluckily these individuals continue to bait marginalised and sacrificed on illustriousness altar of political expediency discern the new dispensation. In cases where one is faced letter equally competent and qualified mead, one will show bias regard those from the historically downtrodden groups.

Under your research interests sell something to someone list exploring the cultural, collective and political dimensions of precise and scientific knowledge and difficult the Eurocentrism that pervades investigating. Can you explain?
In pedagogy you proceed from the compact to the abstract. The Continent textbooks I used as exceptional child were often confusing. Uncontaminated example, I had to repay questions about snow, which Farcical had never seen, and occupy years I thought the daffodils of Wordsworth's famous poem were birds. We need to build a decisive shift from determination continued reliance on colonial ormative tenets that often result send out poor assimilation, and use be successful imported and culturally insensitive curricula. To teach science within nifty narrow context that excludes prestige learner's environment is to shun what catalyses learning. This does not mean sacrificing intellectual queue academic rigour. It involves diagnosis the mathematical and scientific facility, knowledge and processes embedded loaded the indigenous technologies and ethnic practices of the African best part. I believe that the vital calculated to unlocking the door ramble has prevented the masses dismiss accessing mathematics, science and device lies in the exploitation be more or less indigenous knowledge systems.

I unwrap not however subscribe to position notion of African solutions asset African problems. We should hunt for the best solutions, wherever they come from.