By Stephanie Pretorius
“Where the law of an eye for an eye obtains, all the people will become blind.” – Gandhi
Forgive and forget, is how the saying goes. However, to forgive is to do anything but forget. To forgive is to remember, to recount, to comprehend and to move forward with a wider understanding of human nature and ourselves. In South Africa, forgiveness seems to have registered briefly with the likes of Mandela and the
TRC – passing by like a fading fashion – and disappearing off the radar as it becomes easier to focus on revenge and retribution. Recently, the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of the University of the Free State, Jonathan Jansen (pictured here) addressed the Reitz issue – where four young white men racially humiliate five black workers – not as an individual instance of racism but rather a wider problem within the institution’s culture. In what has been described as a “magnanimous gesture” by Desmond Tutu; Jansen offered forgiveness to the Reitz 4, withdrew the university’s official complaint against them and has invited them to continue their studies at the university. Jansen’s decision was met with cries of outrage from across the country. The ID Youth wing stated that we “cannot forgive where no forgiveness has been asked for”. Cosatu has even gone as far as to call for Jansen’s dismissal. While the actions of the Reitz 4 were disgusting and vile, to act without forgiveness is to lower ourselves to the same level. Forgiveness is not the end of the road; it is the beginning of a journey of reconciliation traveled together to ensure that crimes, such as that committed by the Reitz 4 are not repeated.
Hyperlinks
http://www.ufs.ac.za/faculties/documents/10/483/News/Tutu.pdf
http://www.ufs.ac.za/news/newsarticle.php?NewsID=1542
http://www.ufs.ac.za/news/newsarticle.php?NewsID=1535
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