We are moving in opposite direction of Biko’s goal of a more egalitarian society
Forty years after his martyrdom, it’s not too late to use the gifts he left us
In 1971, the South African Students Organisation (Saso) adopted its policy manifesto, which stated in part that Saso believes:
South Africa is a country in ● which both black and white live and shall continue to live together;
That the white man must be ● made aware that one is either part of the solution or part of the problem; and
That, in this context,
● because of the privileges accorded to them by legislation and because of their continual maintenance of an oppressive regime, whites have defined themselves as part of the problem.
Bantu Biko was one of the brightest lights in the leadership of Saso that adopted the policy manifesto. He promoted the intentions of this manifesto and the tenets of Black Consciousness that were an integral part of the manifesto all his short life.
Yesterday marked the 40th anniversary of the murder in detention of this great son of our soil. In addition to giving us his life, he left us a rich legacy of struggle, selflessness, service, solidarity, equality, patriotism, organisation and pride.
Looking at us now, it becomes very clear that we are still to claim the legacy he bequeathed to us. We are still to mobilise one another to ensure that what he stood for and died for does not disappear forever.
Yes, we have vanquished white settler colonialism, ensuring that, politically, there are no longer whites who are part of a problem.
In many other ways, we are still to profit from his legacy.
In addition to his enormous intellectual prowess, Biko was a patient man who would sit quietly for hours and listen to debates so that he learnt from others and that the best decision was taken in the interests of everybody.
We don’t have much of that anymore. It is now a rat race where we don’t seem to have much time for one another.
The solidarity we cherished and worked for is gone.
Those in positions of authority who are supposed to advance the interests of the citizens are too busy stealing and feathering their own nests to be of much value to the cause of development and progress.
Most of us have lost pride in our work and service to others. Whether you go into the education or health sector, people no longer do their best for their compatriots.
That explains why the education system is the painful mess that it is, with children who cannot read, write or calculate at the appropriate level.
The result is that we are reproducing poverty, unemployability and inequality on a massive scale.
Forty years after Biko’s martyrdom, we are moving in the opposite direction of his goal of creating a more egalitarian society in our country.
We are now the most unequal society in the world and are showing no sign of turning things around.
Biko believed strongly in organisation and affording people opportunities to develop themselves. He maintained that the dignity and pride of any people grows out of their ability to do things for themselves.
With state power in the hands of the majority and a democratic process in which all of us can freely participate, we could achieve a lot more if we were to appropriate Biko’s gifts to us, namely patriotism, pride in our work, solidarity, service to others and egalitarianism.