Laying Ghosts to Rest: Dilemmas of the Transformation in South Africa

by Mamphela Ramphele

Laying Ghosts to Rest offers a penetrating look at the South African transition and what is wrong with it. In her characteristic forthright style, Dr Ramphele's new book offers both indictment and inspiration. She touches the distrust between South Africa's people, incomplete reconciliation and violent crime, the failure of schools and the government's skills programme to educate South Africans, globalisation and how South Africa is failing to fill its place in Africa and the world, the costs of BEE and 'transformation' in the private sector and in government, problems of leadership in South Africa.

Genres: Nonfiction, South Africa

341 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2008

About the author

Mamphela Ramphele is a leading South African academic, businesswoman, medical doctor and former anti-apartheid activist. She is a trustee of the Nelson Mandela and Steve Biko Foundations and Founder of the Citizens Movement.

She is the current leader of Agang, a developing political party.

Reviews

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informed exploration of the challenges facing South Africa

Villagers in small South African towns know that to exorcise the troublesome spirits of the departed they must address their ghosts. So, too, Mamphela Ramphele – physician, educator, author and activist – forthrightly wrangles with the ghosts that still plague South Africa 14 years after apartheid. In this 2008 book, Ramphele thoughtfully and critically examines four major issues that are thwarting her country’s progress: “racism, ethnic chauvinism, sexism and authoritarianism.” She knows well of what she writes. As a founding member of the 1970s Black Consciousness Movement led by Stephen Bantu Biko, she stood at the forefront of the struggle against apartheid, suffering imprisonment and banishment. getAbstract recommends her book as a sometimes searing but always forceful and unstinting appraisal of what South Africa must accomplish to realize fully its long-denied promise of equality and freedom.

To learn more about this book, read the following online summary: http://www.getabstract.com/summary/14...

[Robyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

While this was written in 2009 the contents are as prevalent now as ever.
Reading it in the wake of protests and unrest in KZN and JHB I cannot help but feel that this is a book which should be read by anyone wishing to find a sense of direction and understanding about our country's short comings.
Mamphela Ramphele has really done an incredible job of highlighting how both politicians as well as citizens need to alter our approach to laying the ghosts of our past to rest, how policy and reform is beyond what is written and where these have pitfalls.
She is honest, dissective and logically critical of what needs to change or be tweaked.

I feel absolute appreciation for being able to read and own a book such as this; I am sure it will be as insightful for my children one day as it has been for me now.

[Adriaan Jansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

''Laying ghost to rest'' is a thoughtful book about the state of South Africa and its democracy 14 years after the end of apartheid. In this 2008 book, Mamphela Ramphele's love for her country and its enlightened constitution based on human rights shines through the pages.

At the same time, it is also a brave book, since Ramphele doesn't shy away from giving criticism. Although most things that are wrong today in South Africa can be traced back to the apartheid era, sometimes those that have been in charge since 1994 share responsibility for the current state of affairs. Speaking out about what is going wrong at present carries risks: ''There is much mistrust of independent thinkers, with constructive criticism often seen as 'betrayal of the revolution' ''(page 291).

One of the areas that most concerns Ramphele is the education system. She is especially worried about the lack of quality of education in South Africa. Since the end of apartheid, most of the focus in reforming education has been on making education more accessible to all, without giving much thought about how to guarantee that students (or learners) actually acquire relevant knowledge and develop relevant skills: ''Equal access without attention to quality is an injustice to poor people who become trapped in mediocre public services'' (page 182). This is a missed opportunity for all: ''Allowing young people to go through school without acquiring the requisite skills would be costly for society as a whole. It would be a cruel irony if a post-apartheid government allows itself to perpetuate the legacy of inferior education for black people'' (page 181).

Ramphele calls out to those holding back South Africa's education system, such as teacher's and their unions who resist teacher evaluations, civil servants that don't have the knowledge and vision, government officials who focus on access for all and are willing to lower standards to achieve the goal of universal access, thus saddling students with diplomas that are worthless in the labour market.
Fortunately there are many great examples of success in South Africa's education. One of those is Leap School in Cape Town ( http://leapschool.org.za/ ).

Ramphele also names and shames the ghost that are still holding back South Africa and keeping it from reaching the full promise of its magnificent constitution. These are racism, ethnic chauvinism, sexism and authoritarianism. Her arguments are especially strong when she criticizes the moral codes and traditions that are in conflict with South Africa's human rights based constitution.

Although the book was published 6 years ago, it seems to me that many of the things Ramphela has to say haven't lost their importance. Well worth the read!

[Sisikelelwe Tshofela]

interesting and insightful