Challenged the Slavery of the Mind, ahead of the eighth annual Steve Biko
Memorial Lecture, University of Cape Town
12 September 2007
The social landscape of our province still echoes the remnants of apartheid
that speak of identities that are still characterised by inferior versus
superior, of entitlement versus disadvantage, of rejection and prejudice and
sometimes of fear pitted against blind arrogance. These are the residues of
apartheid that silently continue to define social relations amongst our people.
What we see still today, is the anarchic condition of the consciousness of our
people, who are trying to understand where they fit in society. The mental
condition of knowing who we are, of dealing with multiple cultures and
identities means that we are still looking for that tipping point of coherence,
where we can all converge freely, being fully enabled to deal with the multiple
identities of the people that that confront us every day.
Biko's ideology of black consciousness challenged us to uproot that
indoctrinated internal dialogue, which forced us into a slavery of the mind,
the spirit and the physical. This slavery of the mind meant that we were
prisoners within ourselves, that we were continually tormented by the syndrome
of inferiority, that the enemy within was the worst because the apartheid
system had targeted and maimed our self image to force us into submission,
divided us, taught us to reject and fear the other.
By targeting our belief systems, our sense of identity that became defined
by separatism, the apartheid government understood that it was reshaping the
psyche of our society. It understood that once notions of separatism had been
programmed into our thoughts and beliefs, that we would voluntarily uphold
standards of prejudice and separatism amongst ourselves. It understood that we
would continue to persecute each other from generation to generation, passing
on a heritage of a rejection of the other, which still even today haunts us,
taunts us and keeps us apart as a nation. It understood that we would persecute
each other not physically but spiritually and emotionally, leaving deep scars
that are hard to conceal even today.
Biko's ideology is therefore still of critical relevance because we are
still grappling with the challenge of managing multiple identities. We are now
free to live and walk where ever we wish to, which means that we are exposed
to, multiple races, languages and cultures everyday. Our tolerance however,
needs our attention, as a society that has been set free democratically but
still grapples with its sense of belonging.
As we remember Biko this month, we must see the visionary nature of his
ideology that has become a universal principle for self acceptance. As we
appropriate respect to ourselves, our democracy reminds us to equally
appropriate to others, respect, justice, tolerance and dignity.
The battle with the enemy inside is not over. We first have to win this
battle before we can build a home for all. Let us do the work of greatness
today, as was done by Steven Bantu Biko, an ordinary man, who did extra
ordinary things. The responsibility to change and heal our society is not only
the responsibility of government. It is the responsibility of every individual
in our society and our ability to begin to accept, that when we change our
selves first, that that is the point at which we have already done the
extraordinary. That in itself is the single most important ingredient for
social cohesion in our society. For Steve Biko died because he had conquered
that inner enemy. This is the journey of every individual in our city and
entire province.
Let us be inspired by Steve Biko, a son of the soul whose voice will never
be silences by time or death.
Issued by: Office of the Premier, Western Cape Provincial Government
12 September 2007
