What would Biko say?

Xolela Mangcu wrote a book on Steve Biko. The title of the book is Biko: A Biography. At the launch of the book it was lauded as an overdue and necessary work on Biko. Please get yourself a copy of this book, read it and make up your own mind on the book. It is a great pity and a poor reflection on all of us that it has taken this long for a book to be written and published about one of the greatest South Africans. Well done Xolela; I hope there is more coming.

Andile Mngxitama wrote this review of Xolela's book in the Mail & Guardian. The content of what Andile wrote is not important for the purposes of this post. In fact the content of what Andile wrote could be a distraction. Xolela then wrote this review of the review of Andile. The content of that latter review is similarly not important.

My disappointment in these two students of Biko defies all descriptions I could muster. At one point the only response to both was a heavy heart and tears. They will probably have nothing but contempt for my tears, especially Andile (he is not sentimental type). Here is the thing, I have children who I would very much like it if they were to get to know about Biko and Sobukwe. Compared to the beloved Mandela, there is very little written and published by these two giants. Giants that Mandela himself has conceded their greatness. Look at the number of books written about Mandela - look past the fact that there is yet to be a book written by a black author - do you see anything even close to what these two have done? Fortunately, no writer will ever diminish the greatness of Biko or Sobukwe. What Andile and Xolela did does however diminish what I presume (I take responsibility for that presumption) Biko represents. What Biko represents as a black man, an activist and as Andile points out, a philosopher.

These two chaps kept the Black Consciousness torch burning while they were students at Wits. They were comrades facing the challenge and sometimes the wrath of the "Congress" types. They know first hand about the "black on black" violence of those dark days. They are both very gifted and in that sense, this country needs them and others like them if we are to make progress. Selfishly, I need them both for the education of my children. Of course they look at things differently, such is the nature of brilliant minds; but for blackness sake must they exchange insults in the process? I am all for robust debate, that is the only thing that will save us from the rubbish politics of greed and destruction. That however is no licence to be crass. Robust engagement should not take the form of black on black violence albeit of the intellectual kind.

Nobody and nothing is ever just one thing; that much I have learned and that much I believe is true. What stops these two from collaborating on a book about Biko? Instead of accusations and veiled insults could they not trade ideas about the next great book on Biko?

Would Biko read their respective contributions to the Mail & Guardian and then say: "ok, you are right and you got it wrong"? Would that even matter to Biko? Or would he tell them to each write what they like? What about their responsibility to those who do not know what they know? What about their responsibility to black thought? Something tells me that Biko (of whom I know very little) would be less than impressed with all of this.

Black leadership, in all spheres of South African life should take no prisoners as critiques of each other. That I believe is how ideas are shaped and how they become better for the benefit of us lesser mortals, more so for our poor radar-less children. The leadership, especially thought leaders owe us a duty to keep the dialogue respectable. An attack always begets defence; conversation on the other invites  participation in the exchange of ideas. Unfortunately this is not what Andile and Xolela do. They call each other names and in the process the valid points they each make gets lost in the noise of attack and defence.

With the greatest of respect to you Andile and Xolela, you can and must do better. The great work of the leaders and youth of the 70's has been largely undone by the brutal activism of the 80's. There is a lot of work to be done to reclaim the dignity of the black people - who better than the two of you and others like you to undertake that project?