Racist diatribe

WHILE many of us would agree that the pace of transformation at South African universities should be increased, the article by Omano Edigheji smacks of a racist diatribe against "white" academics, while ignoring many of the realities.

WHILE many of us would agree that the pace of transformation at South African universities should be increased, the article by Omano Edigheji smacks of a racist diatribe against "white" academics, while ignoring many of the realities.

Some university departments face great difficulties in attracting black academics. One reason is the continuing lack of improvement in junior and secondary school education, the feeder system for universities and academics. Another is the fact that university salaries are far lower than those in business or industry.

Edigheji suggests that we refuse to participate in African associations, while embracing international ones. Many academics actively participate in both and have strong working relationships with other Southern African universities, exchanging staff and students. Perhaps Edigheji has had bad experiences in his own academic field, but to tar all South African academics with the same brush is naïve and cannot be substantiated.

There are enough "policies" in this country; what we need are practical plans that recognise all of the issues, and to not keep blaming everything on one cultural group, many members of which had little influence on policy before 1994 and even less now. - Denis Hughes, Grahamstown