Wake-up call on the state of academia

THE sudden and tragic death of Professor Bongani Mayosi, dean of UCT ’s health sciences faculty, has stunned our scholarly community. We extend sincere sympathies to his bereaved wife, Professor Nonhlanhla Khumalo, daughters S’vuyile and Camagu, extended family, friends and close colleagues and associates.

This sad demise has not been in vain. It has been a catalyst for discussions on sensitive topics. Questions on mental illness, depression, and suicide, have dominated national discourse, with social media and Twitter conveying a number of courageous testimonies.

Expert opinion has been useful, but there now exists some measure of uncertainty. Is mental illness necessarily the cause of suicide? Is the victim of suicide inevitably a casualty of mental illness?

When the 2008 global economic meltdown brought mayhem into the lives of millions, there was a surge in incidents of suicide.

Many schoolchildren unable to meet certain expectations have taken their own lives. Betrayal on the part of a partner has played a role in individuals reaching that “point of no return”. Did these “casualties of life” all suffer from “mental illness”? External factors could play a decisive role.

UCT’s vice-chancellor, Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng has raised the question of post-traumatic distress. Every institution of higher learning is compelled to engage in introspection, and ask: What is the state of the academia in South Africa?

It is no longer purely FeesMustFall, the issue of decolonised higher education or student discontent causing turmoil in lives of university staff.

The last three to five years have seen a rise in claims of institutional ineptness, corruption and abuse. The way many academics are treated by institutional officialdom is deplorable, forming the main topic of scrutiny of a soon-to-be published research study.

The premature death of an accomplished scientist brings an opportune moment for contemplation, as well as curative action, albeit in the scholarly domain. And the role, purpose and task of the parliamentary portfolio committee on higher education have never been more pertinent. CLIVE W KRONENBERG NRF-accredited research scholar and lead co-ordinator of the South-South Educational Collaboration and Knowledge Interchange Initiative