African National Congress (ANC) spokesperson Jessie Duarte’s call for the University of the Free State’s new rector and vice-chancellor, Jonathan Jansen, to apologise for comments he made about Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga should be dismissed for what it is: a thuggish threat.
For what it’s worth, and in case you haven’t seen it, here’s Duarte’s letter:
OPEN LETTER TO UNIVERSITY OF FREE STATE RECTOR AND VICE-CHANCELLOR JONATHAN JANSEN FROM ANC NATIONAL SPOKESPERSON JESSIE DUARTE
Dear Professor Jansen
The history of the struggle for liberation in South Africa has shaped many people to become politically engaging, vibrant and committed to progressive change.
Among those behind that change is Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga — an activist with a positive track record of having committed herself to the transformation of our education system. Her academic background — from the University of the North and the University of the Witwatersrand — where she obtained her Masters Degree in Education, make her quite suitable in the current position she holds.
As activists, she was an executive committee member of the National Education Union of South Africa and conducted research on the methods to undo the long-term impact of Apartheid Education on young people. She has dedicated her life in the service of developing our youth. Angie Motshekga is a firm believer in a non-racial, nonsexist and united South Africa.
Unwarranted and misplaced insults leveled at her by University of the Free State (UFS) rector and vice-chancellor Professor Jonathan Jansen
— writing RECENTLY in the
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