GARETH VAN ONSELEN: On the obsequiousness of SA universities
ON SEPTEMBER 23 the University of Venda awarded Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa an honorary law doctorate for his role in shaping the Constitution. According to Wikipedia, he adds the doctorate to a list of similar awards, including from the universities of KwaZulu-Natal, Nelson Mandela Bay, Cape Town, the North West, and a number of others with comparable international recognition. One of the first to congratulate Ramaphosa was President Jacob Zuma, himself no stranger to university accolades. "This is a well-deserved acknowledgement," he said. Ramaphosa himself said, "While this honorary degree is conferred on an individual, it has been earned by a generation." Quite right. All shall have prizes; only Ramaphosa will collect them on our behalf. That is, before he heads back to the next Cabinet meeting, to vote in favour of yet another less-than inflation increase in university spend. Thank you so much. As SA fights over the future of higher education and the government remains loc...
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