Henriëtte Roos

Henriëtte Roos, current professor emerita and research fellow in Unisa’s Department of Afrikaans, has been selected as winner of the Gustav Preller Prize for Literature and Literary Criticism from the Suid-Afrikaanse Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns for her outstanding contributions to the theory of literature and literary criticism in Afrikaans.

Roos, the former Chair of Unisa’s Afrikaans department joins Prof Elize Botha – also a former Unisa academic – as the only two women to have received the prize in its 45- year history.

The Gustav Preller prize is awarded every three years and was established in 1968 on the initiative of the publishing firm Human and Rousseau. Honouring Gustav Preller (1875 – 1943), founding secretary of the academy, journalist, historian and critic, this prize replaced the old Stals Prize for Literary Theory, and acknowledges outstanding contributions to the theory of literature and literary criticism in Afrikaans.

Roos’s body of work speaks to that excellence, and she will receive her award in June this year. Her accomplishment, coupled with Botha’s in 1982, comes at an opportune time in Unisa’s history, as this year, the university acknowledges 140 years of shaping futures in Africa.

“I am very pleased and gratified by the recognition of my peers. My family and loved ones are also very happy for, and proud of me, although nobody are as exuberant as my two grandchildren, who exclaimed: ‘Now the family is really famous’,” says Roos.

She explains that she was unaware of her nomination or the person who had nominated her. “I think the candidates are nominated on the basis of a body of work – teaching, postgraduate supervision, publications and stature in this subject field achieved over the span of a career. In my case I have been involved in my field since 1972, first as a lecturer at the then University of Port Elizabeth, and had an uninterrupted career up to my retirement from Unisa in December 2010. As I have spent 30 years of my career at Unisa, my achievements naturally relate directly to my time spent at Unisa.

Roos’s achievements include, amongst others, author, co-author and contributor to 25 published books, author of 54 full-length articles in accredited journals and author of more than 65 book reviews or popular reports in newspapers, magazines and on television. She also regularly delivers papers at international conferences, speaks at book clubs and has been supervisor of more than 20 completed PhD and masters degrees.

Addressing why she believes only two women have received the prize, Roos said everything needs to be looked at in context. “This is essentially a prize recognising individual achievement, and in that sense gender is not an issue. I am absolutely convinced that through the years the decisions have been made based on individual merit without any gender bias. But I also think that it is more difficult for women to be candidates, as not many can devote (more than) 40 years to producing the required body of work – especially women of my generation and those of even earlier generations.

“Therefore the other female prize winner (1982), Prof Botha, who was also my PhD supervisor at the University of Pretoria and later colleague at Unisa, was truly an exceptional woman. To juggle the management of a household, professional work and intensive research leading to publication is an extremely difficult and demanding skill. Also, many senior women in academe progress to managerial positions and then the time and opportunity for intensive research activities become very limited. I, as well as Prof Botha, was also privileged to spend years studying at Dutch universities and be invited back to act as guest lecturers for extended periods, thus building professional and research networks. Not only is it difficult for many women because of their specific marital and parental responsibilities to gain this experience, but these opportunities have only in recent years again opened up as political circumstances have changed. But, at present more women are in leading positions in my field of expertise and I have no doubt that there will be more female prize winners in the near future.”      

Having retired in 2010, Roos continues to work in this discipline she is so passionate about. She is currently busy with the proofs of two books to which she has contributed.

“I am also now doing research for a profile on the Flemish author Louis Paul Boon, which will be included in a new History of Dutch Literature intended for South African readers. As I am one of the vice-presidents of the UNESCO-based literary organisation Fédération Internationale des Langues et Littératures Modernes (FILLM), I am directly involved with the organisation of the next FILLM Congress that will be held in China in July 2014.

“This year I am also presenting the course on the Afrikaans novel to the honours students in the Department of Afrikaans at the University of Johannesburg (UJ) – a very stimulating and rewarding experience. I am also one of the judges on the panel selecting the winners of the two prizes for published Afrikaans literature presented annually by UJ. More than 70 submissions have been received and the deadline for decision is in June.”

In between all her academic post-retirement work, Roos prioritises her home, and loved ones, which include her four dogs, one cat, several goldfish and a plethora of wild birds. She is keen on movies and eating out, and, as a member of the Tshwane Heritage Society, she enjoys their regular visits to historical and cultural sites in this region of South Africa.

*Article by Rivonia Naidu-Hoffmeester

Prof Afe Adogame (Associate Professor: World Christianity, School of Divinity,
University of Edinburgh, UK) at the Africa Speaks lecture series on religion, migration and globalisation.

With communities now fomenting social change and responding to forces of globalisation, migration and religion, the need to interrogate the relationship (or the lack of it) is greater than before. Through Unisa’s College of Human Sciences Africa Speaks lecture series, a platform was created on 8 May 2013 for Prof Afe Adogame, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom, to do so. This platform was especially significant for Unisa as this year the university celebrates 140 years of shaping futures in Africa.

Many question what the connecting nexus between African migration, religion and the processes of globalisation is.

Adogame underlines the importance of examining globalisation as a concept and process before attempting to explore the relationship. “Globalisation, if it is to be of enduring analytical value, should transcend inferior and superiority boundaries. It should refer to influences at the level of elements and symbols, not entire structures but substructures. In this respect, globalisation depends on where you are and what you are talking about,” he explains.

Looking at some issues of global consciousness such as the brain drain, economic exploitation and expropriation, xenophobia, trafficking, global security, peace and integration to name a few, Adogame enters murky waters, questioning what globalisation is actually  good for? As a starting point, globalisation is good to think with; however, one challenge of a globalising world, Adogame points out, is “To think through the complex relationship between global and local by paying attention to how global forces influence, shape and structure local situations on the one hand, but also how local forces mediate and negotiate global.”

From left: Prof Rosemary Moeketsi (Executive Dean: College of Human Sciences), Prof Paul Gundani (Department of Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology), Prof Afe Adogame (University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom), Prof Michel Clasquin-Johnson (Department of Religious Studies and Arabic), Prof Christina Landman (Research Institute for Theology and Religion) and Prof Victor Molobi (Research Institute for Theology and Religion).

Globalisation does not only encompass economic, political, cultural and technological processes but also religion, as religious beliefs travel across continents, hand in hand with migrants as it spreads through mass mediation. “Religions react to global developments and crises but contribute and shape the flow of events themselves through their own actions in an increasingly globalising world,” says Adogame.

With the recent waves of immigration, an unprecedented upsurge in the number of African migrants is heralding a new phase in the history of the African diaspora.  In more recent times, African migration assumed a more diffused dimension; this trend was thus marked by increasing diversification, in both the number of countries sending and receiving immigrants.

In terms of a mesh of religion, migration, and globalisation, Adogame highlights that the religious landscape of Africa and throughout Europe, North America and elsewhere has become more diverse – a consequence of the processes of globalisation and migration. Not only the diversity of religious traditions in society, but the diversity within major religions has increased as well. “Similarly, religion has remained as a crucial factor in politics – the politicisation of religion and the religionisation of politics. The religious diversity increases the potential for conflict in the more and more complex society, but also provides enriching factors and bridges to integration and social cohesion,” he says.

This innovative lecture series was established by the College of Human Sciences to achieve a number of objectives that are aimed at improving the research capacity of the college and enhancing critical discourse by academics with African intellectuals on the African continent and in the diaspora.

He finds quite interesting the concept of religions on the move whereby Africans have migrated to Europe, the US and elsewhere, largely carrying their religious identities with them. Most often, their sojourn in a different cultural context has encouraged these immigrants to reconstruct, organise, and identify their religions, both for themselves and for the non-Africans around them. “The increasing presence of these religious communities in the new host religious landscapes necessitates a proper grasp of the nature, scope and flavour of this pluriformity,” explains Adogame.

Driving home the importance of the concepts of religion, migration, and globalisation, Adogame is urging scholars to pay more attention to individual life stories and institutional narratives that shape and mirror migratory processes. “We need to explore how migrants use religion in different stages of the migration process such as decision-making, preparing for the trip, the journey (transit), the arrival, the role of the ethnic church in immigrant settlement and return migration.”

Adogame is deeply concerned by the appropriation of new media as a conduit for the dissemination of religious messages. The proliferation of internet websites, recruitment of new clientele and alternative prayer techniques are very much a reality that has transformed religion and its structures. “Now we see new media being used as an alternate form of a prayer. Prayer has gone online now. You don’t need to go to your pastor, wherever he is. All you need to do is fill a prayer request form online and then you will get feedback (once again online) that, for example, at 13:00, you should put your hand on your laptop or your television and remain still. So these are ways in which the media is transforming, not only belief but also religious practice.  I would suggest it’s very important to pay attention to the place of media within processes of globalisation,” cautions Adogame.

*Article by Kirosha Naicker

Thabo Mbeki (former South African president and Patron of TMALI) delivered the keynote address at the launch of volumes 5 and 6 of The road to democracy in South Africa.

Universities are tasked with the responsibility of ensuring that relevant and accurate research and education reach the masses. On Freedom Day 2013, Unisa further solidified its role in this regard when it hosted the launch of volumes 5 and 6 of The road to democracy in South Africa series.

Former South African president and patron of Unisa’s Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute (TMALI), Thabo Mbeki, and the country’s deputy president, Kgalema Motlanthe, were amongst the dignitaries who attended the launch.

Mbeki delivered the keynote address while Motlanthe accepted the last two volumes of the series on behalf of government.

Investigating what shaped the present

The launch was especially significant for Unisa as this year the university celebrates 140 years of shaping futures in Africa. It is therefore conscious of the importance of research that documents the journey the country and continent have travelled to attaining freedom. Now, as the university looks to its future – where it aims to be a leading centre of African knowledge production – it is also mindful of the role it has to play in ensuring its research, teaching and learning and community engagement speak to the very essence of what this book series represents.

The road to democracy in South Africa series, published by Unisa Press, is a chronological analysis of four decades of South African history. It is a project of the South African Democracy Education Trust (SADET). Volume 1 covers the events spanning 1960 to 1970, volume 2 deals with the years between 1970 and 1980, volume 3 focuses on international solidarity, and volume 4 covers the period from 1980 to 1990. Volume 5 focuses on African solidarity, while volume 6 (in two volumes) covers the period between 1990 and 1996.

Giving a true account

Unisa Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Mandla Makhanya, said the university prided itself on being part of this important project since the institution’s forward-looking vision was aimed at becoming the African university in the service of humanity.

He said while the history of the struggle had been told in different ways, at different times and, often, for different motives, the synergy between SADET and Unisa was predicated on the common understanding that without a true and intellectual account of the struggle and its contractions, captured by the people who were prepared to give their life and limb for its ultimate outcome, freedom from oppression and freedom from want and hunger, the story remained patchy and organically incomplete.

Dr Essop Pahad (Chairman of the South African Democracy Education Trust) with Kgalema Motlanthe.

Thabo Mbeki (former SA president and Patron of TMALI) with Kgalema Motlanthe (South African deputy president).

“History must be recorded – be it orally or in writing – and equally importantly, preserved. And this is where the role of the university is so important. The core function of a university is the generation of new knowledge, but inevitably that process relies on a thorough interrogation and evaluation of existing knowledge, which not only offers context, but also the opportunity to prove or disprove, accept or reject, or compromise. It is a process of accretion that contributes to the richness of the national and global dialogue and canon,” he said.

Naming the new enemy

The VC said that previously South African history was informed and influenced predominantly by a western paradigm that reflected the hegemonic power relations that shaped the country and continent’s past. “We cannot allow them to similarly inform our future, especially since history can become revered and followed dogmatically, irrespective of its genuine merit, and often with serious and far-reaching consequences.”

This is where African and South African universities, and in particular, Unisa, had a fundamental role to play. “History is not simply the plaything of bored academics,” said the VC. ”The consequences of its unquestioned inculcation are in the real world of classrooms and the real lives of teachers and children. We know this all too well. And knowing that, we are obliged to ensure that our history is told first-hand, by those Africans who made and lived it.”

Looking to the future, the VC said with the fundamental objective of political liberation being achieved, the fundamental task ahead was to name the new enemy, and carefully to attune competencies collectively and severally as new challenges were tackled. “As a university, we are at a point where we say that we can no longer afford to be mere interpreters of what others said and did not say about us. It is our time to place on record for all to see what we say about our past and how that past influences what we are doing on our way forward. At this very important juncture in the history of Unisa, we take pleasure in the fact that, perhaps for the first time in 140 years, the futures that we will be shaping will be informed by knowledge that we have generated and recorded – it is a matter of great pride.”

Capturing history accurately

Motlanthe acknowledged the authors of the series, saying it was very difficult to write contemporary history, because the temptation for embellishment was always great. These scholars, he said, were able to structure and craft the stories told by many of those active in the liberation struggle. “To collect those stories and present them in a usable form is of great value. It will be of value to generations to come, to those who will try to understand how we were able to navigate our way, and find a solution to the intractable problem of apartheid and racial discrimination.”

In explaining the importance of The road to democracy in South Africa series, Mbeki spoke of incidents during the liberation struggle that were captured in the various volumes. He said the history presented in these volumes forced people to ask fundamental questions. “We have a chapter that discussed national pride and the changing of minds. We talk about national unity, national cohesion, shared patriotism; are we there? Have the minds changed? I think we must ask these questions. We must ask questions about women’s emancipation. Where are we with regard to this important matter?

“Indeed, how far have we advanced with regards to this struggle reflected in these books? Where are we? I think we need to ask these questions and look at them critically and I think this history that is told here will at least say when everybody engaged in this struggle to bring about change, it has achieved its objectives. Having said that, we must then answer the questions: what progress have we made, what obstacles have we experienced, what do we do?”

Mbeki said it was important to make this history accessible to many people, and a project to produce “more popular” versions of the books to be available in schools will begin soon. He also referred to Oscar-winning movie director Steven Spielberg, who, from what he had read, believed the South African story needed to be recorded and shared. The director has offered South Africa the use of software that collates interactive interviews as used during the making of Schindler’s List, a 1993 motion picture he directed and co-produced, which tells the story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved the lives of more than a thousand mostly Polish-Jewish refugees during the Holocaust by employing them in his factories.

Programme director, Chairman of the SADET board and former Minister in the Presidency, Dr Essop Pahad, thanked board members and all those who had contributed to the production of The road to democracy in South Africa series. There was also a special tribute to the late Professor Bernard Makhosonke Magubane, who was initially given the task of managing this project and producing the volumes.

Shocked and saddened by Magubane’s untimely passing, the Unisa VC said that his legacy was of incalculable value for those generations who would be building upon the genuinely African knowledge foundations that had been laid in the production of these volumes, and would always be valued.

Unisa hosted the launch together with SADET, Nedbank and MTN. In addition to the launch, as part of the university’s Freedom Day celebrations, the university hosted a public dialogue on the Freedom Charter as a living document on the Friday preceding Freedom Day.

* Article by Rivonia Naidu-Hoffmeester

The Freedom Charter is the statement of core principles of the South African Congress Alliance, which consisted of the ANC and its allies – the South African Indian Congress, the South African Congress of Democrats and the Coloured People’s Congress.

By offering a platform for critical discourse on the very document notable for its demand and commitment to a non-racial South Africa, Unisa seeks to challenge prevailing presumptions and encourage ongoing conversations within the sociopolitical space. The first public dialogue planned as part of the project Credo: A musical testament to the Freedom Charter, and dealing with the history and legacy of the charter, took place on 26 April 2013, titled, The Freedom Charter as a living document.

The dialogue featured a panel of leading speakers: Prof Raymond Suttner, part-time Professor: Rhodes University and Emeritus Professor: Unisa; Dr Essop Pahad, former Minister in the Presidency and Editor-in-Chief of The Thinker magazine; Brigitte Mabandla, former Minister of Justice; and Jabulani Sithole, Lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Adopted in Kliptown on 26 June 1955, the Freedom Charter was the culmination of a long nation-wide, non-racial political consultative process among the diverse constituent members of the South African Congress Alliance, which included the African National Congress, the South African Congress of Democrats, the South African Indian Congress and the Coloured Peoples’ Congress. It is characterised by its opening demand, The people shall govern.

According to Suttner, “We do not treat its significance as obvious. For there to be democratic debate, we cannot treat most things as obviously desirable and necessary. Indeed issues which we debate around the Freedom Charter are not the same today as in 1955 or in the 1980s. Nor can anyone give an authoritative or final interpretation of the Freedom Charter.” He believes the words of the charter have to be contextualised in the context of its emancipatory, liberatory, broad vision.

The dialogue accompanies a multimedia musical production, Credo: A musical testament to the Freedom Charter, based on a text from the Freedom Charter. The oratorio, commissioned by Unisa, was composed by Bongani Ndodana and is a musical expression that echoes the social vision enshrined in the Freedom Charter. Through the project, Unisa is also prompting society to engage in a conversation about the values embodied in this historic declaration

An untidy document

Suttner regards the Freedom Charter as an untidy document, unlike the South African Constitution. On one hand it reflected, very specifically, on qualities of apartheid depression, which people wanted removed. On the other hand, it is a broad human rights document; in many ways, an advanced international human rights document of the time. What he also deems important is that the Freedom Charter, in contrast to the Defiance Campaign, was a movement away from rejection towards an outline of an alternative vision which the people of South Africa wanted.

Suttner believes that “Achieving representative democracy through the first election was a great victory but the people were and are, no longer directly present, but represented by what some have considered or called, ‘the people’s government’. It may be what has been called the movement from popular nationalism to state nationalism.”

Suttner’s objective throughout the dialogue was to throw up the meaning of the injunction, The people shall govern. “I’m not suggesting that the constitutional gains made since 1994 must be repudiated in favour of direct democracy. What I’m saying, while popular power may be outside of constitutional provisions and institutions, it is not antagonistic to these; in fact, in is an enrichment of the lie of the democracy that we have, and it is in no way compatible to have popular empowerment as well,” he says.

Making reference to the Freedom Charter where it states South Africa shall strive to maintain world peace and settlement of all international disputes by negotiation, not war, Pahad said, “This is an exceptionally profound statement to make in 1955 and this statement remains true today. What we want to do is to resolve international disputes by negotiations and not war. You must remember that this statement was made at a time when the cold war was at its height.”

Most powerful solidarity anti-apartheid movement

Pahad agreed with Suttner that central to the Freedom Charter is the notion of the people. “And when we today say that the people must be their own liberators, that’s what we mean,” he explained. In his view, “What we did was we built an international anti-apartheid movement that remains the most powerful solidarity movement ever seen in the history of the world. You won’t find another more powerful international solidarity movement than the anti-apartheid movement that we helped to build.”

Reverend Welcome Methula (Department of Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology, Unisa) doesn’t believe in the Freedom Charter, saying “It only reduces the struggle of South African politics to the glory of the ANC, to the undermining of the religious formation, political and cultural institutions, which played a critical role in the struggle against apartheid and colonialism.”

Reduces the struggle of SA politics to the glory of the ANC

However criticism of the Freedom Charter remains. Reverend Welcome Methula, of the Department of Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology, Unisa, believes that the charter has distorted the history of South Africa. “It has premised on three significant histories, 1952, 1912 and 1994, and therefore it does not say anything about the achievements that were made during that historical period. It only reduces the struggle of South African politics to the glory of the ANC, to the undermining of the religious formation, political and cultural institutions that played a critical role in the struggle against apartheid and colonialism.”

Methula is deeply disappointed that, “To this very day, the Freedom Charter is still doing a lot of injustice to many black poor people. It is still legalising our landlessness. To this very day, the ANC has not built a university post 1994, it has not opened a bank. All that’s been done is that we should be co-opted to those who are from Europe. So I have a problem with the Freedom Charter because it is a gross misrepresentation of the African struggles for liberation,” he exclaimed.

Development of African middle class an important shift

Pahad hit back at Methula, saying, “Don’t ask us to do your work for you. It’s not my job to talk about other political movements. Whether or not the present policies of the government are just in support of the middle classes, that’s for you to decide. If your approach is going to be so narrowly defined by a class approach, you won’t understand.” Adding to his argument, Pahad said, “The growth and development of the African middle class in South Africa has been a very important change and shift in the socioeconomic climate of our country. And you need to understand that that was a demonstrable shift from the policies of apartheid. Obviously we, at that time, and the present administration, still have a long way to go to meet some of the most pressing needs and challenges of our people. And that’s what we have to do. But to do that, I think, we in the end require the active involvement of the masses of our people. If our policies and the implementation of our policies exclude or marginalise the masses of our people, then we’re not going to succeed in what we want to do.”

A panel of leading speakers at the first public dialogue planned as part of the project Credo: A musical testament to the Freedom Charter, and dealing with the history and legacy of the Freedom Charter, featured, standing, Jabulani Sithole (Lecturer: University of KwaZulu Natal), Dr Essop Pahad (former Minister in the Presidency and Editor-in-Chief: The Thinker magazine); and Prof Mandla Makhanya (Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Unisa); and seated, Prof Raymond Suttner (part-time Professor: Rhodes University and Emeritus Professor: Unisa) and Brigitte Mabandla (former Minister of Justice)

*Article by Kirosha Naicker

Nelson Mandela, a Unisa alumnus who graduated while at Robben Island, became the first president of democratic South Africa.

If you were old enough to remember, you will never forget the image of millions of South Africans who queued for hours all over the country to cast their vote in the country’s first democratic elections on 27 April 1994. As the 19th anniversary of the day that South Africa became a democracy approaches, there will be much reflection on the democratic gains or losses of that period, and the road that led the country to that point and beyond. As the University of South Africa, the role that this university has played in that journey has to be emphasised and acknowledged as we prepare to celebrate Freedom Day.

Freedom Day 2013 is a special one for Unisa as the university not only celebrates providing quality education to South Africans, but also celebrates 140 years of doing so. Even when most avenues of study were closed to the majority of South Africans, Unisa ensured there was still one road to higher learning. Famous struggle heroes, as well as many other unsung heroes who sacrificed their freedom, were able to pursue higher learning through Unisa. Armed with knowledge, they then went on to become leaders who influenced the kind of transformation required for this country – some of them continue to do so even today.

Such leaders include, amongst others, ZK Matthews, who assisted in drawing up the Freedom Charter in 1955, Unisa’s current Chancellor, Judge Bernard Ngoepe, who was a member of the committee that drafted the Constitution in 1996, and Nelson Mandela, a Unisa alumnus who graduated while at Robben Island and became the first president of a democratic South Africa.

Zachariah Keodirelang (ZK) Matthews who assisted in drawing up the Freedom Charter in 1955.

Unisa Chancellor Judge Bernard Ngoepe was a member of the committee that drafted the Constitution in 1996.

As Unisa acknowledges 140 years of shaping futures in Africa this year, it also celebrates its future where it aims to be a leading global centre of excellence in science and research, and a university that continues to produce adept graduates who can lead the country and continent in development and transformation. Unisa’s Freedom Day celebrations therefore acknowledge its remarkable contributions to South Africa while simultaneously honouring the road to democracy.

Celebrations begin on Friday, when the university hosts a public dialogue on the Freedom Charter as a living document. Panellists participating in the dialogue include former Minister in the Presidency, Dr Essop Pahad, Unisa Professor, Raymond Suttner, former Minister of Justice, Brigitte Mabandla, and Jabulani Sithole who will focus on youth and the Freedom Charter.

As the struggle for freedom reached a new intensity in the early fifties, there was a need for a clear statement on the future of South Africa. The idea of a Freedom Charter was born, and the Congress of the People Campaign was initiated. Read more at SA History

The dialogue accompanies a multimedia musical production, Credo: A musical testament to the Freedom Charter, based on a text from the Freedom Charter. The oratorio, commissioned by Unisa, was composed by Bongani Ndodana and is a captivating musical expression that echoes the social vision enshrined in the Freedom Charter. Through Credo, Unisa is also prompting society to engage in a conversation about the values embodied in this historic declaration.

In addition to the festivities of Credo, Unisa will on Saturday, together with the South African Democracy Education Trust (SADET), Nedbank and MTN, host the launch of the fifth and sixth volumes of The Road to Democracy in South Africa. Thabo Mbeki, former South African President and Patron of Unisa’s Thabo Mbeki African Leadership Institute (TMALI), will deliver the keynote address. South African Deputy President, Kgalema Motlanthe will also attend the book launch and receive the two volumes on behalf of the government.

The Road to Democracy series is a chronological analysis of four decades of South African history: Volume 1 covers the events spanning 1960 to 1970; Volume 2 deals with the years between 1970 and 1980; Volume 3 focuses on international solidarity; and Volume 4 covers the period from 1980 to 1990. Volume 5 focuses on African solidarity; and Volume 6 (in two volumes) covers the period between 1990 and 1996.

* Article by Rivonia Naidu-Hoffmeester

The climate change challenge is a massive one, so the call for mass action towards a global solution is louder than ever before. Earth Day Network believes that every person who does his or her part to fix the problem is also a Face of Climate Change

People across the globe observe and celebrate Earth Day today (22 April 2013). This day has become a real demonstration of support for environmental protection.

The Earth Day Network (EDN) works with over 22 000 partners in 192 countries to broaden, diversify and mobilise the environmental movement. More than one billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world. EDN is concerned that the faces of climate change are multiplying every day, increasingly impacting people, animals and beloved places.

The climate change challenge is a massive one, so the call for mass action towards a global solution is louder than ever before. EDN believes that every person who does his or her part to fix the problem is also a Face of Climate Change: entrepreneurs who see opportunity in creating the new green economy, activists who organise community action and awareness campaigns, engineers who design the clean technology of the future, public servants who fight for climate change laws and mitigation efforts, and ordinary people who commit to living sustainably.

Earth Day marks the anniversary of what many consider the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970. But it’s going to take more than a solid history to fix the problems of the present and future.

Join this global cause, track your carbon footprint and lend your support to environmental initiatives. Tell us what you’re doing for Earth Day 2013, or send an email to earthday2013@earthday.org. You can also log on to www.earthday.org and help build a global mosaic. See some of the Faces of Climate Change here. Contributing towards the greater good of Earth Day doesn’t have to be painful, it can be fun and creative too.

*Article by Kirosha Naicker

Additional resources from http://www.earthday.org/2013/ and http://www.dietitiancassie.com

Dr Mamphela Ramphele doesn’t believe changing the electoral system will improve political accountability. She’s determined to pursue the electoral clause change in order to transform the politics of South Africa into a caring political culture, which puts the country and its people ahead of leaders

As the 2014 election nears, the issues of accountability and electoral reform are making headlines again and they took centre stage when Unisa’s Department of Public Administration and Management hosted a roundtable seminar on 11 April 2013 with Dr Essop Pahad, Former Minister in the Presidency and Editor-in-Chief of The Thinker magazine, and Dr Mamphela Ramphele, anti-apartheid activist, as key speakers.

For Ramphele, the operative word is indeed accountability, and now there needs to be a shared understanding of it. “As a citizen, it means for me the capacity of a system to hold those in public service responsible for discharging the mandates that they are given, to ensure that the democracy that we have, that so many people died for, has meaning in the day-to-day lives of ordinary citizens,” she says. She strongly believes that if the electoral system has accountability built into it, then citizens will be able to reward public servants who do a good job in terms of delivering quality public services and they should also have the ability and capacity to punish those who don’t perform. The only instrument citizens have to do that with is their vote.

The issue of accountability has been on South Africa’s agenda since the dawn of democracy. While an electoral system should be seen to be fair, inclusive and accountable, when the Van Zyl Slabbert Commission looked into the system in 2003, after the first two democratic elections, a wide range of consultation showed that the issue of accountability was front and centre for citizens. The review process established, from a consensus amongst South Africans, that it was pivotal to introduce greater accountability into democratic politics in South Africa.

Changing the electoral system won’t improve political accountability

Ramphele doesn’t believe changing the electoral system will actually improve political accountability. She’s determined to pursue the electoral clause change in order to transform the politics of South Africa into a caring political culture, which puts the country and its people ahead of leaders. She referred to the caring political culture highlighted in the recently published book, The Athena Doctrine, by authors John Gerzema and Michael D’Antonio.

Some of the skills and approaches of of the Athena leadership style they identify include a nurturing leadership that’s empathetic, the capacity to listen and relate to others, promoting a positive culture, and practising inclusive decision making. “If you look at our education and health system, look at the performance of our economy, look at safety and security, would you say these principles are present in our political processes and our public service? Absolutely not!” she says.

Government protected by voter support

There is little doubt that South Africa inherited a very strong authoritarian and accountable political culture. All the strengths that came together in 1994 (indigenous African cultures, European traditional cultures, Middle and Eastern traditional cultures) have this common thread. However, says Ramphele, “Post-apartheid South Africa has not made much progress in creating a more accountable political culture. We have relied too heavily on litigating our way out of disputes about accountability. And those in government and the public service have been protected by the overwhelming majority of voter support that have enjoyed thus far. The issue is, if that support is put to the test, where individual citizens vote for their own interests, to live in a society which is governed by those principals, do you think they will continue to vote in the same way? I don’t think so.”

Dr Essop Pahad (Former Minister in the Presidency and Editor-in-Chief of The Thinker magazine) is not turning a blind eye to the critical issue of accountability. Part of the problem, he believes, is that accountability is highly stratified

Pahad has heard a great deal of criticism of the electoral system but maintains that few understand how it was reached. “In a democratic parliament, what we needed at the African National Congress(ANC) was to open avenues for as many political parties as possible. So we needed an inclusive system, a system that would enable even the smaller parties to get at least one seat,” he explains. He also stresses the role of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) that runs the elections independently, even if it’s funded by the government, maintaining that the “present system that we have is the fairest and most just system. Every vote that is cast, counts.”

Pahad says some criticism is valid

Reflecting on major criticism of the system (also referring to the Van Zyl Slabbert Commission on Electoral Reform report), he admits that some parts of it are valid. Concern about the need for greater accountability foregrounded the report of the electoral task team, chaired by the late Frederick van Zyl Slabbert. “The system that we have now doesn’t necessarily make your elected representative accountable to the electors. This is a fundamental criticism of the system and it has its validity because the question and challenges of making our public representatives at all three tiers of government more and more accountable to the electives, is one that we must keep on trying to meet.”

Pahad is not turning a blind eye to the critical issue of accountability. Part of the problem, he believes, is that accountability is highly stratified. “At the ANC we have levels and not tiers, so the branch, region and province do not have the same capacity to make policies and to implement and to give leadership, as the national executive committee of the ANC.”

Prof Dirk Kotzé (Professor: Department of Political Sciences, Unisa and Political Analyst) argues that accountability does not depend on the electoral system, but is determined, first of all, by how well organised civil society is.

Ward committees have not worked

It goes without saying that there is no system in the world that that is above criticism. However, the problem of accountability (or lack thereof) of public representatives to their South African constituents is become increasingly challenging. The system of ward committees, for example, which was designed to make local councillors accountable, not just to the party that put them there, but to the community, has not worked. “Unfortunately, up to now, the ward committees have not functioned in the way they were envisaged to. And that’s a great pity. I just hope that as we go on, the councillors and political parties, and especially in this case, the ruling party, take the necessary steps to pay a great deal more attention to strengthening ward committees because, for me, this is one of the biggest areas where you can be accountable, not only to your own members but the community at large too,” says Pahad.

Without active citizenship, accountability doesn’t exist

Arguing that accountability does not depend on the electoral system, Prof Dirk Kotzé, Professor in Unisa’s Department of Political Sciences and Political Analyst says, “Accountability is determined, first of all, by how well organised civil society is. If you have the perfect electoral system, a very strong executive legislative relationship, but if civil society cannot play its role and active citizenship doesn’t exist, then accountability doesn’t exist.” So the onus, in a sense, moves away from the electoral system to ordinary South African citizens. Kotzé stresses that accountability cannot be enforced in the absence of freedom of expression, access to information and media freedom because information is needed in order to ask for accountability.

Other respondents joining the roundtable debate included Kayum Ahmed, CEO: South African Human Rights Commission, Dr Leonard Martin, Faculty Head of the Mapungubwe Institute of Strategic Reflection), and Advocate Reuben Baatjies of the South African Local Government Association.

*Article by Kirosha Naicker

Critically discussing accountability and electoral reform at Unisa’s Department of Public Administration and Management roundtable seminar were, back, Dr Essop Pahad (Former Minister in the Presidency and Editor-in-Chief of The Thinker magazine), Kayum Ahmed (CEO: South African Human Rights Commission), Prof Johan Marx (Director: School of Management Sciences), Dr Leonard Martin (Faculty Head: Mapungubwe Institute of Strategic Reflection), and Prof Dirk Kotzé (Professor: Department of Political Sciences, Unisa and Political Analyst); and front, Prof Goonasagree Naidoo (Chair: Department: Public Administration and Management), Dr Mamphela Ramphele (anti-apartheid activist), Prof Darrell Myrick (Associate Professor: Department of Public Administration and Management) and Advocate Reuben Baatjies (South African Local Government Association).

Discussing the causes and cures for police brutality were Moses Dlamini (Spokesperson: IPID), Lieutenant General Mzwandile Petros (Gauteng Provincial Commissioner: SAPS), and Dr Johan Burger (Senior Researcher: ISS and Professor Extraordinarius: Unisa Department of Police Practice).

According to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID), nearly five thousand cases of police corruption and brutality were received from 2011 to 2012. Incidents like the death of Mido Macia who was dragged behind a police vehicle and the so called “Cato Manor hit squad” has damaged the public’s confidence in and credibility of the men and women in blue. This in turn, has divided sentiment as to how the police should treat criminals and suspects as well as ordinary citizens.

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) recognises that there are underlying issues within the police department that may be the reason behind this brutality and the abuse of power. The institute, in conjunction with Unisa, held a seminar on Understanding police brutality in South Africa: Challenges and solutions on 11 April 2013 to discuss some of those concerns. ISS works closely with police, developing strategies and conducting research on subjects that directly or indirectly affect the force.

Dr Johan Burger, a senior researcher at ISS and a Professor Extraordinarius at Unisa’s Department of Police Practice, broke down how and why police brutality persisted and what measures could be put in place to deal with it. The current South African Police Service (SAPS) code of conduct was something Burger drew frequent attention to, questioning whether officers were well versed in their own rules and regulations. Another talking point has been the militarisation of the police force and whether this had contributed to an attitude change and subsequently, an increase in brutality. Burger said statistics debunked that myth. “Deaths in police custody and criminal cases against officers had increased from 2002 to 2010. When the force was militarised three years ago the numbers started levelling out, then coming down,” he said.

According to Gareth Neham (Head: Governance, Crime and Justice Division, ISS) the seminar came at an opportune time, given the debate surrounding police brutality being highlighted in the media.

A presentation by Dr Johan Burger (Senior researcher at Institute for Security Studies and a Professor Extraordinarius at Unisa’s Department of Police Practice) provided a great deal of insight into police practices and the possible reasons for brutality in the force.

Despite those figures, Burger was of the opinion that the psychology of police had changed to a more militant attitude because of the rhetoric from public figures. He cited the speech from then Deputy Minister of Police, Susan Shabangu, in 2008, when she used derogatory terminology asking police to shoot criminals and the language used by former police commissioner Bheki Cele when addressing officers. “This type of language militarised the thinking of police officers. Changing the rank will not change the police,” Burger said.

But if the statistics show that police brutality is on a downward trend, why do damning incidents such as Macia’s brutal death persist? Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) spokesperson, Moses Dlamini, presented several cases where officers were imprisoned for severe brutality, which sometimes resulted in the deaths of their victims. He said one of the major problems had been the stark contrast when sentences were handed down through internal and external disciplinary processes. “The police force’s disciplinary verdicts are sometimes shocking, such as a R500 fine for an officer after a person has died, or they will receive a final written warning or a suspended dismissal. This contrasts with South Africa’s courts, which hand out heavy sentences,” Dlamini said.

For this to be rectified, Dlamini said there needs to be a concerted effort by senior officials to deal with problematic staff and an effective internal oversight mechanism. “IPID is not the solution for police brutality because we are a reactive agency. SAPS needs to review its disciplinary processes and the sanctions and suspensions it imposes,” he explained.

Burger’s assessment of the pressures that police faced included the threat of danger, their impossible mandate and public perception, among others. To remedy this, he recommended a new code of ethics, competency tests and a police board to set standards for recruitment and promotions.

Those recommendations are exactly what Gauteng Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Mzwandile Petros, alluded to during his presentation. The Minister of Police, Nathi Mthethwa, has prioritised the transformation of police and the improvement of the quality of training and recruitment. Petros said there had been a concerted effort by police to deal with their members who break the law. “In just one province we arrested 965 people and that shows we have a commitment to address this,” he said. The provincial commissioner is not of the opinion that training would change the mindset of certain individuals but that policy changes could have a strong impact on how SAPS operates. “Being a policeman should be a calling and we need members who have a passion for the job. If I’m driving back to office and an armed robbery is taking place, I can’t ignore it,” Petros said.

*Written by Rajiv Kamal

The scheme owes its existence to the generosity of the Norwegian Non-Fiction Writers and Translators Association, Kopinor, the Norwegian Reproduction Rights Organisation, and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The grants are intended to provide around R20 000–R25 000 for an author’s research and/or writing costs.

Gusha Ngantweni (Senior Lecturer: Department of Police Practice) was awarded the ANFASA Grant Scheme for Authors. Ngantweni is flanked by Sihawukele Ngubane (Chairman: ANFASA) and HE Kari Bjørnsgaard (Norwegian Ambassador to South Africa).

Dr Jo-Ansie van Wyk (Lecturer: Department of Political Sciences) receives her grant from Sihawukele Ngubane (Chairman: ANFASA) and HE Kari Bjørnsgaard (Norwegian Ambassador to South Africa).

Both academics have solid plans for their grants. Van Wyk plans to publish her doctoral thesis on South Africa’s post-apartheid nuclear diplomacy, which details the country’s interactions with the international community on nuclear issues since it dismantled its six atom bombs. Her argument is that South Africa successfully transformed its state identity from a nuclear weapons state to a state supporting the peaceful use of nuclear energy.

Her PhD traces South Africa’s nuclear diplomacy from 1990, when the disarmament process was already underway, until 2010. In line with Unisa’s aspirations to be a high-performance university, Van Wyk says, “My research is the first of its kind and supports the Unisa ideal of producing world-class research.”

Ngantweni’s grant will be used towards the undergraduate textbook, Crime prevention and policing in Africa. The book will be an authoritative text with about 30 chapters and five sections. This project is an initial collaboration between Unisa, the Tshwane University of Technology and Southern Business School, who all intend to prescribe the book, which has authors drawn from several African countries.

As Unisa celebrates 140 years of shaping futures, Ngantweni believes this book will contribute towards the same. Unisa pioneered a bachelor’s degree in police science in the early 1970s. In the early 1990s, the South African Police Service (SAPS), in the midst of reform from apartheid to democratic policing, had a police academy in Graaff-Reinet, where young officers with university exemption were selected through a rigorous process to study for a Unisa BA (Police Science) degree for three years, full-time. Many of those graduates are now leading managers in the SAPS and other public entities performing their roles competently and many have moved on to complete higher qualifications.

Says Ngantweni, as the author contributing the most chapters and having overall responsibility for the book, “The ANFASA grant adds prestige to the book project and it allows me to benefit from the peer support of fellow awardees. I am grateful to all my fellow authors for the time they have taken in slowly developing a major textbook that will benefit our students and industry throughout Africa.”

*Written by Kirosha Naicker

Shaping another future. Dr Blade Nzimande (Minister of Higher Education and Training) places the hood on his son, Nkululeko, who completed his Honours Bachelor of Accounting Science (Hons BCompt) as Prof Mogege Mosimege (Registrar) looks on.

When Higher Education and Training Minister Dr Blade Nzimande did a recent walkabout at Unisa, there was a concerted effort to highlight the great efforts being made by the institution to reshape the education landscape. But another important factor has, perhaps, already shown that the minister is confident about Unisa’s teaching credentials.

Among the numerous graduates during a ceremony held on 3 April 2013, the start of the university’s autumn graduations, was minister Nzimande’s son, Nkululeko, who has completed his Honours Bachelor of Accounting Science (Hons BCompt).

Nkululeko was originally at a contact university but wanted to take his qualifications further while being able to work at the same time. “Unisa was a different experience to a residential university that I was at before. I wanted to start work, I really wanted to get into it and try studying part time. It has worked well for me. Having to communicate via email and over the phone with the academics accentuated some of the skills I needed for the workplace. Things like my writing skills, explanations over the phone, so it really was a different experience but it worked out really well,” he says.

Coming from a strong teaching background, Dr Nzimande recognises the value of hard work and a good education. An industrial psychology student, he was awarded his PhD for a thesis in the field of personnel management and has served as a lecturer and teacher in number of institutions and schools. He was delighted with his son’s achievements and gave Unisa his seal of approval. “It’s a very exciting evening for me and my family that my son is graduating and getting his honours in accounting science; it’s very important. He’s graduating in one of our public universities and we’re very confident about the quality of the programmes here. In a way this is setting an example for other parents,” the minister says.

Despite having big shoes to fill, given his father’s credentials, Nkululeko is adamant that he will carve out his own success. “It’s an experience and quite rewarding to get such recognition but my aim is to get him recognition because of my achievements and not me getting recognition because of his. That’s what I’m working towards and I’m going to continue studying,” he says.

Taking higher education to new heights. From left; Prof Mandla Makhanya (Principal and Vice-Chancellor), Dr Blade Nzimande (Higher Education Minister) and Judge President Bernard Ngoepe (Chancellor).

*Written by Rajiv Kamal

In 2013 Unisa celebrates 140 years of shaping the futures of students through teach and learning.