From iOL

This op-ed article by Dr. Simphiwe Sesanti “Was Mandela’s hand forced?” (October 31) refers.

Dr. Sesanti occupies a very special place in society as a senior lecturer in a school of journalism because he has the ability to shape the style of future outputs by journalists, who influence opinions massively.

The strength of his argument and the sources he uses are therefore of special interest, and, in the instance of this article, exceedingly disappointing. His forceful conclusion that “Black journalists must not fail in this regard, or our children will spit on our graves when we are no more,” amplifies the problem.

The fundamental issue is that sources of information matter.

On the subject of South Africa’s transition from apartheid to democracy, there are myriad primary sources, people who were actually involved in the process, readily available.

In fact, Dr. Sesanti could do far worse than to deploy his class to speak to a range of such individuals – from both sides of the former divide. In addition, and for verification, there is a wealth of actual documentation available in the archives of Parliament and of the political parties involved in the negotiations. Our constitution is, after all, still only 17 years old.

The fatal errors that Dr. Sesanti commits, firstly is to use predominantly a single source, and secondly that the source is Naomi Klein’s book, “The Shock Doctrine.”

The enquiring journalist’s mind should ask questions such as, “Was she there?,” “How deep is her understanding of the politics of South Africa?”, “How authoritative is she as a source?” and “Is this the best available body of information about my country?”

Moreover, given his objective is to argue that “the media in general should investigate the failures of African governments to serve black people,” his reliance on an American source, who happens to be white, is quite perverse.

Let me cite just three of the issues on which Ms. Klein – and therefore Dr. Sesanti who quotes her extensively – is plainly wrong.

But before that, it is quite impossible to explore these issues without examining, among others, the phenomenal contribution of then ANC president, or Tambo, in initiating a process on constitutional principles, the result of which is evident in the founding provisions, the preamble and bill of rights to our constitution; how the talks were initiated by the ANC in exile, mobilizing support through allies, especially in Africa that culminated in the adoption of the Harare Declaration; and how Nelson Mandela himself forced the issue from within prison, always deferring to Tambo in the process.

What Dr. Sesanti must appreciate is that the negotiated settlement was led by the same people who led the campaign for the international isolation of the apartheid regime, the armed struggle, the internal underground and the mass democratic movement.

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