Disagree in good faith

In “Always space for firm courage” (July 13), Professor Xolela Mangcu makes a welcome statement on the values of civility, courage and imagination in building a peaceful and non-racist society and, as part of this process, crossing “the useless distinctions between disciplines such as the arts and sciences”.

Regrettably, though, he cannot resist a snide side-swipe at UCT. Citing a “torrent of racial abuse” in an e-mail from David Bullard (who is well known to be a deliberately provocative buffoon), Professor Mangcu comments that “it also shows who is aligning with whom at UCT”.

This kind of petty smearing-by-association can only degrade the necessary and important continuing debate about the nature and future of transformation at UCT, and is of a kind with previous unsupported insinuations by various speakers and commentators, in which those responsible for forming policy at UCT – especially in relation to student admissions – have been referred to as liars, hypocritical and deceitful.

As an academic activist at UCT in the 1980s and early 1990s, I played a small part in the brainstorming, experimenting and monitoring that was going on during that time, specifically in relation to admissions and curriculum development.

I am not the person to judge the appropriateness or success of these measures; however, I can say with complete certainty that they were undertaken in good faith and in the conviction that UCT, its students and staff could only benefit from breaking out of the imposed cage of apartheid, which was not only cruelly unjust to the oppressed majority, but intellectually and emotionally impoverished the white minority in their laager of privilege.

Furthermore, I have no reason to suppose that the current administration of UCT is any less committed to the vision of a university that is accessible, welcoming and intellectually rigorous.

Professor Mangcu proposes that “Civility means we can disagree with each other, and do so vehemently, without having to throw racist epithets and insults at each other”. I entirely agree, and add “…without calling into question the good faith and integrity of those with whom we disagree.”

John Cartwright

Muizenberg

(Dean, Faculty of Arts, UCT, 1991-94; Head, Department of English, 1996-97