Forgiveness 'not for sissies'

2009-10-20 09:22

Liesl Peyper and Gert Coetzee

Cape Town - Forgiveness is not for sissies, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu said on Monday, in support of the decision of the rector of the University of the Free State, Professor Jonathan Jansen, to forgive the Reitz Four.

"Your magnanimity has aroused the ire of quite a few, who argue that it could encourage a repeat of such despicable conduct; and that the perpetrators should be dealt with firmly and not with a sentimental wishy-washiness," said Tutu.

"I, on the contrary, salute you, for you have done us proud."

Jansen apologised for the conduct of the Reitz Four - who made the widely-condemned video in which cleaners were humiliated - during his inauguration speech in Bloemfontein on Friday.

He pleaded for charges to be dropped against the four and announced that they would be allowed to study at the university again.

Forgiveness instead of retribution

Tutu said he hoped the culprits and their families would have the decency to ask the victims for forgiveness - for the sake of their own spiritual health. "Without forgiveness, this incident will corrode their souls."

He compared Jansen's gesture with the example shown by former president Nelson Mandela when he favoured forgiveness instead of retribution.

"Retribution does not agree with the spirit of ubuntu, while forgiveness reflects precisely that.

Thank you for showing this spirit," wrote Tutu.

Meanwhile, despite strong criticism, Jansen on Monday stood by what he called "the right decision".

He said at a news conference in Bloemfontein that as a leader his decisions were not based on the directives of individual political parties and that he didn't let himself be influenced by those who "beat their breast for social justice".

Punishment

Regarding calls for punishment, Jansen said the Reitz Four had been punished - Reitz had been closed down, their studies had been disrupted and the residents didn't stay on campus anymore.

Jansen said the practical implications of the reopening of Reitz on campus under the same name, as a "model for the meeting of black and white" were now being worked out.

The compensation of the workers in the video was also being sorted out, to ensure it was acceptable to the workers and manageable for the university.

Shortly after the news conference, upset students organised a meeting on campus to object against the university dropping the charges, the retention of the Reitz name and Jansen's management style.

- Die Burger