There’s a phrase that appears to be peculiar to us in Africa, “all protocols observed”. It basically means: “You all know who you are, and I don’t want to upset any of you by listing you in an incorrect order, so please just take as read that I have addressed you as correct protocol dictates.” So, all protocols observed, ladies and gentlemen, good evening.
It feels like yesterday that I was an 18 year old first year student at the University of Durban Westville in 1980 at the height of that round of student protests. There were several hundred of us gathered in the campus quadrangle. Most of the regular crowd of veteran student leaders were now hoarse from whipping us into a frenzy. So it fell to newcomers from the crowd — including myself — to take up the megaphone and bring democracy to the land.
I shouted “Viva Nelson Mandela, Viva!” The crowd responded “Viva!”
“Viva Oliver Tambo, Viva!” I went on. “Viva!” The crowd responded.
“Viva Gatsha Buthelezi, Viva!” I added. “Viva!” said they.
“Aha!” I said. The crowd broke out into a rumble of confusion.
And that’s why I’m terrified of democracy. You see, crowds are stupid. Ordinarily civilised human beings do irrational things they would never consider attempting on their own. They shout with one voice without being aware of what they are saying. They pelt soccer players with whatever missiles come to hand and attack supporters of rival teams. Shout “Fire” and they run lemming-like towards the nearest exit trampling all in their path. Even the lion flees in terror from the stampede of the herbivores.
But something even more terrifying than democracy is any of the alternatives. The fact is that democracy is the best form of society anyone has come up with. So what we need to try to do is to make democracy safer. And the best way to do that is to replace the herd mentality with rational thought.
But rational thought doesn’t happen automatically. It takes years of practice. And when we stop practicing, we very quickly fall back into a herd mentality where our idea of leadership is to drop our trousers and moon the opposition.
So what we are trying to do here today is restart a rational ongoing conversation, because people who are thinking clearly generally don’t drop their trousers in public. And this beautiful country of ours has a magnificent history of clear rational thinking.
I grew up with my political home in the African National Congress, but my philosophical home was black consciousness. I was 13 years old in standard six — grade 8 by today’s reckoning — when the Frelimo rallies took place in Durban right behind my school at Curries Fountain stadium. The 9 student leaders who ended up sentenced to Robben Island were all in their twenties, as was Stephen Biko whose evidence at the trial of the nine was instrumental in shaping my thinking as a young adult years later.
You see, Steve Biko did not speak about nationalisation or wealth as a point of reference when he spoke about black consciousness. What he said was “We try to get Blacks in conscientisation to grapple realistically with their problems…to develop what one might call an awareness, a physical awareness of their situation…to be able to analyse it, and to provide answers for themselves.”
And that is what we are trying to do here today – to provide a forum for a new young generation to grapple realistically with their problems, develop that awareness, analyse, and provide answers for themselves.
So it’s my privilege this evening to introduce you to the gentlemen who has taken up the challenge of being the first to lead us on this path.
He graduated from the University of Cape Town with a Bachelor of Social Science in Economics and a Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing Management. He also studied Property Development and Finance through the University of the Witwatersrand.
After graduating from UCT, he joined the Sowetan as the Deputy Marketing Manager. His media interest expanded to broadcast where he produced a number of television documentaries and youth programmes for SABC, Bop TV and e-TV. With the convergence of print and broadcast media, he became e-commerce product manager with Primedia’s iafrica.com, one of the first consumer portals to be launched in South Africa. Along with four others he was charged with the responsibility of launching Metropolis Transactive, the first local Business-to-Business trading platform, where he served as the e-commerce Strategy Manager. His primary responsibilities included the formulation and packaging of web-based instructional materials linked to the new paradigm of life-long learning, as well as creating linkages between jobseekers and employment opportunities.
He holds directorships in a number of local and international companies, including Afrithon Group, Kei Fleet Solutions (Pty) Ltd, Red River Developments LLC, African Legend Housing. (Red River and African Legend are involved in the delivery of innovative housing solutions in the Southern Africa.) He is a member of a number of non-profit institutions, sits on the board of the South African History Archives and is Chairperson of an initiative assisting youth and women entrepreneurs.
He is a published writer and speaker on the international circuit. He has given papers at conferences such as the Turn of the Century Conference: Focus on South Africa – Nantes, France in 1999, Human Rights in South Africa – Connecticut, USA in 2000, Memory and Healing – Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2001, Indigenous Australia – Sydney Australia in 2002, Human Rights in the Media –Connecticut, USA in 2004 and Community Radio Forum – Johannesburg, SA in 2004.
He has given lectures amongst others at the UCT Alumni Forum, University of KZN, Macalister College, University of Minnesota, University of Connecticut, University of California, California State University, Stanford University, University of San Francisco, Utah State University, Georgia State University and World Trade Centre, Atlanta.
He is also a founder member of the board of trustees of the Steve Biko Foundation, chaired the Foundation for the first five years, and currently serves as the Foundation’s Chief Executive Officer.
All in all, an admirable response to the challenge of carrying his father’s name.
Ladies and gentlemen, all protocols observed, please join me in welcoming Nkosinathi Biko to deliver the first Generation Y Keynote.