[2]
I remarked to mayor Mothlaping, that it was surprising to observe black nannies in Johannesburg streets with blond babies tied to their backs. ‘That relationship between blacks and whites,’ she replied, ‘has existed as long as I can remember. It is not related to the issue of black freedom. Small children easily develop natural relations with the black women that nurse them from the cradle upwards. It's only when they pass the age of twelve that their attitudes change. This occurs under the influence of their parents and the environment.’
The mayor was quite right. The Swiss psychologist, Jean Piaget, concentrated some of his research on determining the specific moment from which a child begins to think independently. His studies confirmed what Matilda Mothlaping told me. Piaget examined an estimated 100,000 children and concluded that, generally speaking, twelve years are needed before the thinking processes have matured into a fully operating mind.
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