I am troubled by the rise of a hand-picked bunch of black commentators and public intellectuals who opine on freedom of thought, speech and independence and who diss the government at every opportunity.
For me, they are coconut intellectuals: black outside, white inside. This celebrity pack includes Xolela Mangcu, Sipho Seepe, Rhoda Kadalie, Vuyo Mbuli, Tim Modise, Themba Sono, Console Tleane Aubrey Matshiqi, among others.
They promote a culture of democracy and ensure that we avoid sliding back into apartheid-mentality repression and censorship.
But they don’t dismantle racist and capitalist assumptions and interests. They don’t challenge the status quo.
In fact, if you listen carefully they reinforce racist assumptions about the black government as these public intellectuals ring the alarm about non-existent threats to freedom of self-expression by the government.
Although they are often dubbed ”fearless, independent and courageous” by liberals, I would beg to differ.
Rather than help and support the democratic government carry out and fulfil its mandate, they limit their role to throwing stones at the government. When last have you heard them speaking about land, racism and the monopolisation of the economy?
For them, it is all about corruption, Zimbabwe, Zuma and the alleged shutting down of space.
This was evident in the recent kerfuffle when Mangcu resigned from the Human Sciences Research Council, alleging that independent public-sector space was being squeezed tight.
He fanned the flames of the widely touted view that the government has no space for freedom of thought and self-expression.
With Steve Biko’s call for self-determination — ”Black man, you are on your own!” — the value and relevance of people, including academics and intellectuals in ”the system”, was questioned.
But should this still be so? I contend not and believe this view of people in the ”system” can be counter-revolutionary.
In fact, the so-called independent intellectuals become conservatives who seek to promote, protect and preserve the unjust economic status quo. After a decade of freedom and democracy, revolutionary intellectuals need to take up their rightful place and engage the dial-a-quote elements so beloved of the media.
Inside the government, there are many intellectuals who are giving their lives to the system.
They do not occupy public spheres like the media because it is a hostile space. After two decades in numerous white-controlled media, I know.
Too often we confuse celebrity public opinion-makers and leadership. But there are many young intellectuals within the government and other parastatals who spend a significant part of their work and time in research, contemplation, policy formulation and reflection. This is the real work of democracy; these are the true thought-leaders.
Even though they may not be afforded columns in newspapers, it does not mean that there are no spaces where they engage with each other in a communal context.
There is an increasing number of models of leading intellectuals who are not necessarily public commentators and these would specifically include people like Joel Netshitenzhe, Charles Nqakula, Dr Z Pallo Jordan, Mosibudi Mangena, Professors Itumeleng Mosala and Keorapetse Kgositsile, to name a few.
Unlike the prevalent impression that has been created of government officials and leaders who toe the line, these are readers, thinkers, political pragmatists committed to the practical realisation of the ideals of liberation.
They exude radical openness and are responsible for the opening up of spaces for diversity and frank political debate within the government.
Unfortunately, their intellectual work tends to be obscured because the focus falls on the celebrity intellectuals.
No genuine freedom of thought and expression can be developed if the mainstream media stubbornly resist acknowledging the presence and work of intellectuals within the government, who are also major critical thinkers.
This serves to check independent government intellectuals and curtail their willingness to participate in public debate.
Sandile Memela is a journalist, author and spokesperson for the Ministry of Arts and Culture