Andile Mngxitama and Athi Joja have every right to criticise
Jared Sacks for his piece on Mamphele Ramphele and Steve Biko ("Biko
would not vote for Ramphele", March 15), but it is downright unethical for
Mngxitama to threaten Sacks with violence – and to incite Sacks to resort to
violence too – because Mngxitama did not like what he wrote.
According to a post on Mngxitama's Facebook page: "real
bikoists out there, whenever we see that white little bastard called jared
sacks, we must beat the shit out of him. they now pissing on biko's face. they
can diss mamphele all they want, but to insult us like this? when i see jared,
he must beat me up. that's the deal." He also responded to a response on
his page by saying: "jared will pay for this."
We accept that it is in the nature of Facebook for people to
express themselves bluntly as it is not a completely public forum. But there
must be accountability for what one says, even on Facebook, particularly if one
is a public figure. People often "friend" people such as Mngxitama
because of their public profile. To settle a political dispute through a physical
fight, which is what Mngxitama calls for on his page (accessible to more than
5000 people) is a terrible message for a public intellectual of Mngxitama's
stature to communicate.
There is already too much violence in our politics. Public
intellectuals have a responsibility to denounce violence as a method of
resolving political disagreements, not encourage it.
Such threats can be profoundly intimidating to the person
they are directed against. Even if they are not meant literally, others may
take them so. They also have implications for the Mail & Guardian and
freedom of expression more broadly, because people who approach the paper to
publish their articles may be put off if they fear being subjected to similar
threats.
Anyone who wishes to put their views into the public domain
should accept that others may disagree, at times fiercely, but they should not
fear for their safety when they do so. This will lead to self-censorship.
Mngxitama comes across as a bully who can win arguments only
by policing the boundaries of the discourse on black consciousness through
intimidation, rather than robust argument. It is important that the M&G
speaks on this issue as well, denouncing Mngxitama's threat of violence, to
protect the freedom of its contributors and communicate a clear message that
such threats are unacceptable. – Abahlali baseMjondolo, Zackie Achmat, Bheki
Buthelezi, Jane Duncan, Jacques Depelchin, Nathan Geffen, Kenneth Good, Marie
Huchzermeyer, Vashna Jagarnath, Ayanda Kota, Firoze Manji, Aubrey Mokoape, Michael
Neocosmos, Thembani Onceya, Richard Pithouse, Unemployed Peoples' Movement
