Campus with a pastTHE SCHOOL THAT’S TAKEN A BIGdDENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR‘NON-WHITES’ WAS ALL BUTNON-EXISTENT IN SOUTHAFRICA BEFORE THE 60S, SAYSDR AK SEEDAT, PART-TIMELECTURER AT THE UL’S SCHOOLOF DENTISTRY FOR ABOUT25 YEARS AND A PRACTISINGORTHODONTIST. It was a realitythat affected him too. ‘As far asI can recall, the only dental clinicthat I knew <strong>of</strong> at the time was onerun by the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong>Witwatersrand in Alexandratownship.’Problems with sepsis and oralpain abounded in blackcommunities and while theirwhite counterparts received, orhad access to dental clinics thatcould meet their primary dentalneeds, blacks did not. Dentaldiseases increased exponentially,which led to the establishing <strong>of</strong>a dental faculty in the <strong>University</strong><strong>of</strong> the Western Cape in the early70s – a step-child <strong>of</strong> the<strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> Stellenbosch, saysSeedat.‘But the school served only thecoloured and Asian communities.No blacks or whites wereallowed.’ The Soweto riots thenfurther highlighted the excruciatinglack <strong>of</strong> facilities at all levelsfor blacks in South Africa – andthe concept <strong>of</strong> a medicaluniversity for blacks was acceptedby the country’s apartheid leaders.Lobbying for a dental school wasDr AK Seedattaking place at the highest levelat the same time, motivatedprimarily by Pr<strong>of</strong>essor LeonTaljaard, later principal <strong>of</strong>Medunsa, recalls Seedat. Thiswas also approved.Seedat in the meantime hadobtained his degree in dentistryat the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong> the WesternCape and had moved up to Witsto specialise. He became the first‘black’ person to qualify as anorthodontist in Africa; anachievement that was supremelyagainst the odds.Seedat was one <strong>of</strong> 10 children,P A G E 2 8
BITE OUT OF LIFEborn to illiterate parents living inAlexandra township. His parentshad come to South Africa in theearly 1900s and settled inNorwood, Johannesburg, but theywere forcibly moved toKensington, and then soon after,to Alex. His father ran a smallbusiness and with much difficultywas able to send Seedat and one<strong>of</strong> his sisters to university.Seedat’s political activism hadhim expelled from school andrefused entry to Wits. But with thedetermination <strong>of</strong> a bulldog,Seedat overcame the oddsstacked against him and achievedhis degrees.When he was eventuallyaccepted into Wits, he says itgave him a world-class education.The consultants were exceptionallypatient and their input made allthe difference to him, while at thesame time inspiring him to give toother disadvantaged students inthe same way.Having already madesomething <strong>of</strong> a mark in academicdentistry, Seedat wanted to givesomething back to the pr<strong>of</strong>ession.In 1984 he became a part-timelecturer at then Medunsa and stillcontinues to this day. ‘Nearlyevery single black student whohas attended UL’s Faculty <strong>of</strong>Dentistry since 1984 has beentaught by me,’ he announces withjustifiable pride.Seedat’s memories <strong>of</strong> hisearlier days at Medunsa are, onthe whole, positive. He explainsthat while there were some‘troublesome incidents’, involvingstudents, staff and police on themedical side <strong>of</strong> the university, hedoesn’t recall any serious eventthat related directly to the dentalfaculty. Relations between blackand white staff members werecordial, he maintains, as several<strong>of</strong> the white staff were activistswith understanding and sympathy<strong>of</strong> the political situation.‘The academic standard hasremained excellent throughout thefaculty’s history, and the culture <strong>of</strong>research is good.’He recalls some <strong>of</strong> thecolleagues, mentors, friends andassociates that he has workedwith through the years –pr<strong>of</strong>essors, consultants, hygienists,laboratory technicians, personalassistants, and many others –people who made a real effort tomake a difference. And they did.On a lighter note, he alsowistfully recalls delightful anddisorganised informal sportingevents – rugby, squash, andcricket – entered intowholeheartedly by staff members<strong>of</strong> all shapes, sizes and colours.Those were in the very earlydays, and they fell away whenlife on campus became moreserious and demanding.Seedat has a regret though.He believes not enough is beingdone now to attract consultants tothe School <strong>of</strong> Dentistry. Whileeverything is in place in terms <strong>of</strong>the school’s credibility, hebelieves that the distance isprohibitive for most people. ‘Thefact is, one doesn’t become aconsultant at the Ga-Rankuwacampus to make money. Onedoes it for other reasons.I learned during the struggle justhow important it is to give.’He’s deeply impressed by whathas been achieved at Medunsaand now the <strong>University</strong> <strong>of</strong><strong>Limpopo</strong> throughout its history,particularly in the School <strong>of</strong>Dentistry. It was the exceptionallevel <strong>of</strong> commitment from thepeople who worked there thatmade all the difference. ‘Theseare people who should berecognised and applauded fortheir selfless dedication,’ is hisheartfelt belief. ‘Their contributionhas made a powerful mark notonly on the progress <strong>of</strong> the dentalpr<strong>of</strong>ession in South Africa, butalso on South African society.The institution owes these peoplea huge debt <strong>of</strong> thanks.’Today the best thing about theGa-Rankuwa campus for Seedat isthat it is de-racialised. And thatmakes it a pleasure for him tovisit faithfully every week, comerain or sunshine.P A G E 2 9