News24 User

Pityana 'throwing stones'

2008-09-05 14:01

Dear Editor,

Professor Pityana is probably the most vocal Vice Chancellor in SA.

He is a respected academic and human rights activist, but I think he is sadly losing the plot.

His utterances discredit him. He has a good track record as an advocate for human rights, yet he blindly supported President Mbeki's HIV/Aids policies. Mbeki is known worldwide for being an Aids denialist. Nelson Mandela has said more than once that the problem of HIV/Aids is now a human rights issue.

He is totally against open criticism of academics and the judiciary, yet he uses every chance he gets to criticise the new ANC leadership in a very hostile manner. He says vice-chancellors and scholars don't "appreciate being called names", yet he calls Zuma a "flawed character" and labels his supporters with various names.

As an academic, Professor Pityana should know that what is acceptable to him might not be acceptable to others. The opposite is equally true. For example, when he slaughtered a bull at his official residence last year, some of his neighbours thought it was "utterly disgusting" and totally unacceptable.

Is it acceptable for a Professor and Vice-Chancellor to slaughter a bull at his residence instead of taking it to a place professionally designed for that? Like Mbeki, Professor Pityana avoids arguing based on the strength of his points, but resorts to discrediting and labeling those he disagrees with.

With all due respect, Professor Pityana should just stick to sorting out his own problems at Unisa. A student died a week or so ago at a Durban campus during a demonstration. You can't stand in a glass house and start throwing stones at others!

Lindani Gumede,
Midrand

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The ANC have turned into nothing more then a tit-for-tat freak show. Stabbing each other at meetings, shouting each other down, threatening to kill - the problem is you are all way over sensitive and take everything the wrong way. You not willing to talk without insulting and hurling the race card and poor me attitudes. There is always some conspiracy and someone is trying to outdo another, like a aplha male fighting for dominance in the troop.

Yeyeye! you have hit the nail right on its head. Prof Pipinyana, please solve the murder in your doorstep and forget about CNA or ANC , MAZU or ZUMA, ZJ or JZ ; depends from which way you want to read it. For once comment on "LION MAN", poverty, crime, helath etc. You are sounding more like Zille's garden boy!!!

Your point being? This is the cornerstones of democracy - freedom of speech and of association. According to your agrument nobody is allowed to disagree with the ANC leadership, hostily or otherwise? No matter what your actual point - the ANC has become what this man is - a very troubled lot and maybe this is Mr Pityana's point - he does not like to be called names by idiots???

Fred Khumalo calls Zwelinzima Vavi a child of the difficult world simply because his name means the world is difficult. He also calls Malema inhlongandlebe because the boy is just rude and ignorant. Their behavior suggests that the two are similar characters and the only way to classify them is by labelling them. I think that's what prof. is doing, nothing wrong with that. All of them including Blade, Fikile etc will be labelled

You need hair on your teeth to follow politics. It's not much better in any other country. Remember that you need a very specific personality to be a politician. Like actors who tend to be very artsy and then be more prone to drug abuse (not generalising). And politicians are more vocal and ego-centric. Loves throwing stones (just look at McCain/Obama race). Comes with the job description. And when it suits them they'll be best buddies again.

''Mbeki is known world worldwide as being an AIDS denialist'' is not a fact but your opinion. So who's labelling whom now? If you have an issue with Prof Pityana, please make your argument amicably without dragging Mbeki into it for once! With all due respect Lindani, if your problem is with Prof. Pityana agreeing with Mbeki and his policies/ideas say so and don't hide behind other totally irrelated issues while sneaking in totally unwarranted remarks about parties outside your discussion.

As a student at UNISA, I am very embarrased by this Pipana. He must mybe decid whether he wants to be a politician of a Vice chancelor. We have a truck load of problems with UNISA, he is awar of them bu

what sort of people strive to become politicians globally? ambitious people, honest people, reliable people, aggrieved people? Have you ever wondered why those with real global influence and power, those who aren't constricted by geographical borders, don't become politicians? Consider whether this is an intrinsic problem as regards politics and then consider the theory that the gap between rich and poor will continue to widen.

You also call him and President Mbeki names, but wish to deny him the right to have a stab at Jacob Zuma. Jacob Zuma is indeed a falwed character and is simply not the right person to lead the country. Malema and Vavi are a waste of time.

Agree with your comments. This seems to be a veiled attack on President Mbeki who has stayed out of the new mess created by the likes of Vavi and Malema on behalf of Zuma. Surely, you can defend Zuma's character (if possible) without resorting the tactics you have employed above. You cannot complain about the very thing you are doing.

But also do not forget to blame the media for its flippancy in the way is drives and manipulates public discourse. It seems that there is a complete abdication of informing and educating people in their presentation of ideas.One just have to note some of the comments listed herein and at a glance you know there is absolute no intellectual engagement with the subject matter. It seems any opportunity to tell people off becomes the primary objective.

it's unfortunate that people talk of mbeki being an aids denialist without even being aware of what he is denying . they should make themselves aware of what the scientific world is saying rather than listen to the distorted views of some of our media.we should thank mbeki for questioning rather than blindly accepting everything that the west is telling him to do . some of these drugs are being tested on us , we are used as guinea pigs .

Find me a speech where Mbeki denies AIDS and I will respect you. As of now, you are just adding to the great political divide that is slowly developing. Pityana is right in voicing his concern for the way the judiciary is being treated. Zuma loyalists support judge Hlophe who is under investigation. When other judges question Hlope, they are labeled otherwise, please get off your tribal chair

Madiba's name should not even be mentioned in the same line as most of the ingrates who call themselves the ANC currently (from both factions).The differences between what the ANC of old stood for and what the ANC of the last 10 years or so stand for are immeasurable.

Early on Pitjana's appointment as Vice Chancellor and principal of Unisa, Pitjana wrote a scathing attack on Mbeki for not honouring any of his(Pitjana)'s invite to Unisa. He was not sure if his appointment as Unisa Principal had the blessing of the Union Building. All of a sudden when Zuma indicated his willingness to become the ANC President, Pitjana found himself an opportune moment to regroup with Mbeki against Zuma; their common enemy. Be reminded Mr Phosa is your boss & new ANC treasurer.

So what you are getting at is that anyone who follows the INDEPENDENT media must immediately be classified as an idiot,especially if the INDEPENDENT media go against the party line,and that only your "leaders" speak fact and truth all the time? You ANC sheep are so naive its actually scary.

I don't believe that Prof Pityana has said that all and any criticism of judges and academics is not to be tolerated. What he HAS done is to refer to specific statements by others. If we accept that he has ruled all criticism out of bounds then your article holds water. But he hasn't said that, so you've built your argument on a false premise. He also substantiated his remarks about Zuma saying, quite correctly, that JZ has been indicted for serious crimes.

The issue about Msholozi is about the negative effects of the culture of impunity in developing countries. The culture of impunity continues to fuel corruption. I don't care even if its the current President if he/she has a case to answer s/he must do so. The post-colonialism history is littered with failed states and democracy purely becuase of the failure of leadership to take dicisive actions against corruption. Punitive measures must be meted out to all the recalcitrant parties

Mr Pityan has got rights to voice his concern-South African judiciary is being misled by bunch of hooligans - If Mr Zuma has more than enough suppoters why can't our Honouable President Thabo Mbeki get a support from one individual - i welcome as many opposition parties in South Africa for 2009 vote as this ANC party behaves as if it owns the world.

Aren't you making essentially the same mistake? Taking the line that because the allegedly independent media (they are all owned and controlled by someone) says something it must be true. There are number of commonly held "facts" about the current government (EG Manto said that beetroot will cure AIDS) that, on examination of the facts, turn out to not be true.

Unisa is always in the news for the wrong reasons. Never for academic achievements--but for Pitjana's endless follies and cheap publicity stunts (slaughtering a bull in his palatial residence, throwing out more white staff members, chastising loyal Unisa staff for their skin colour, and most famously for swiching his poltical allegiaces as expedience dictates. For him the rectorship is a soapbox to get airtime and an audience. Sigh, sigh, Barney--behave like a serious academic (if you can).

Few take SA universities seriously in the post-1994 period. Barney has done more than most to reduce Unisa to bushcollege status. Remember that he defended the fraudulent doctorate by his vodoo pal Aristide (earning Unisa international derision), he proposed an hon. doctorate for Mugabe, he misuses the senate to propagate a racism vicious even by SA standards. Join the circus, Barney, they need a fat man in fool's cap!

Barney the self-proclaimed apostle of democracy, surrounds himself with a team brown-nosing croneys; is a violent enemy of free speech; promotes a racist agenca; demonizes whites; does not tolerate criticism; ponti(de)facates on issues on which he known nothing; squanders Unisa's money in Prellerstreet. Congratulations! Professor or buffoon?