When veteran journalist Dr Mothobi Mutloatse wrote a story on 23 May 1976 — less than a month before 16 June 1976 — little did he expect it would resonate 50 years later.
Titled ‘Leaders Lash "Stupid" Education System’, the story, published in the Weekend World in the build-up to the historic, countrywide Soweto Uprising by pupils protesting against the use of Afrikaans as the medium of instruction in black schools, is to be included in a school textbook to educate young people.
Mutloatse wrote: “This week’s strike by Soweto schoolchildren over the teaching of mathematics and science in Afrikaans was significant in that it had exposed the ‘stupidity’ of black education.
“This was the view of Soweto UBC member Leonard Mosala and veteran educationist W B Ngakane, now attached to the South African Council of Churches’ technical bursaries department.
“The strike by about 1 500 pupils from five schools was set off on Monday morning by students at Phefeni Junior Secondary School.
“They boycotted classes because mathematics and science were being taught in Afrikaans.
“However, M C de Beer, circuit inspector at the department of education, said the department was ‘doing nothing about the matter’.
“He said his office was not in a position to compel the pupils to return to classes.
“At the time of going to press, it was not known whether the strike would be called off.
“Ngakane said: ‘The strike exposed the stupidity of Bantu Education officials trying to reclaim lost opportunities.
‘With this legislation, the Afrikaner has created an attitude of hate on the part of the black man.
‘To think that a person who hates you can love your language is to be stupid.
‘We, as Blacks, have a right to create our own cultural organisations. We have the right to choose the medium of instruction for our children.’
“He added: ‘By forcing Black children to learn maths and science in Afrikaans, the authorities are giving Black pupils their first lesson in solidarity.’
“Mosala said: ‘This week’s pupil strike is significant in several ways.
‘Firstly, it highlights the classroom problems encountered by both the teacher and these scholars. Secondly, it highlights the effects the use of Afrikaans has had over the years on the results of Black pupils.
‘The manner in which Afrikaans is imposed on them makes it difficult for Black pupils to accept it willingly. The fault lies with the policy.
‘The department should reconsider its indiscriminate enforcement of the use of Afrikaans in Black schools.
‘Unless something is done quickly, this week’s strike may spread to other parts of the country.’
“The Secretary for Bantu Education, G J Rossouw, is believed to be in Cape Town. No reasons were given for his trip.”
Now an established publisher who founded Skotaville Academic Publishing (Pty) Ltd, Mutloatse, told the Mail & Guardian of his “pleasant surprise”.
“The request was that a publisher wanted my permission for the story to be included in an educational textbook.
“It brought a lump to my throat when I read it again on the eve of the 50th commemoration — the golden jubilee of the tragic events that unfolded in Soweto and elsewhere in South Africa on 16 June 1976,” said Mutloatse.
The younger Mutloatse had just turned 26 a month before the revolt.
“I could not have imagined that the lack of communication by the powers that were would have led to the irreversible disruption of the political life of South Africa as it did.
“Have the learners learnt? I doubt it.
“It is a pity that history tends to repeat itself in this manner.
“But I live in the hope that we shall overcome — paraphrasing MaBrrr, the legendary artist Brenda Fassie, in the famous song Nomakanjani.”