Listening to the silent majority

[21]

Philemon Baloyi (26) was born in Giyani in Gazankulu. In 1981, he joined the South African Army where he presently serves in the 907 Special Duty Company, a crack reaction unit of the South African Defence Force, (SADF). He is an expert tracker and attached as a rifleman to Battalion 116. He handles a variety of sophisticated weapons, including the R4 automatic rifle and the RPG7 rocket launcher. He has already tracked down a number of ANC guerillas. Philemon told The Sowetan that he came from a poor family with eight children. He dropped out of school in Standard 9, because his parents could no longer afford to pay for his education. ‘Poverty and unemployment made me look to the SADF,’ he told Themba Molefe. ‘I was welcomed. I am proud to be in the Army fighting for my country.’

Black lieutenant Peter Seloane expressed similar sentiments. ‘I am a soldier, not a politician. As a soldier I serve the government of the day mainly because I agree with its policies and should another government with whose ideals I agree take over tomorrow, I would continue serving.’^18.

I cite this example of a young man, enlisted in the Army out of poverty and a lack of funds and education, as elsewhere in Africa. This is a crucial problem in South Africa. Education is one area in which it is possible to make a long-term investment in human relations across ethnic boundaries. There is not adequate recognition of the fact that the government in Pretoria is faced with an increase of 250 000 black pupils yearly, which means that 200 to 300 new schools have to be built each year and an additional 8 000 teachers trained yearly till the year 2000 at least. Therefore, too, many black leaders are outspokenly opposed to disinvestment, because of the adverse affect it has on black education. Also, the South African private sector, which always liberally contributed towards education, has sharply decreased its financial support.^19.

18. The Sowetan, July 14, 1988

19. The Citizen, April 28, 1989; Speech by Mr Sam de Beer