Limpopo Leader - University of Limpopo

Campus with a pastTHE HIGHS AND LOWS FROM THE TOPAfter a while I asked the students if they wanted a cupof tea. This offer was firmly turned down. I, though,enjoyed a cup of tea with 20 students eyeing me sullenly.‘Within less than two hours, the strikers realisedthat this was a battle that they were not going to winand without a word or backward glance they troopedout of my office. I had no more problems with sit-instrikes.’During his tenure as Vice-Principal, Karlsson heldthe position of acting Vice-Chancellor when ProfessorLeon Taljaard was given a six-month sabbatical.It coincided with a strike of a more ominous nature.The domestic staff went on strike. Negotiations andoffers of mediation were refused. The strike went on,but then word came from within the workers’ ranksthat their resolve was weakening. They wanted toreturn to work and enter into further negotiations whileat work. But before this could be agreed, the worsthappened. The total student body went on a classboycott in sympathy with the workers. The studentrepresentatives refused to meet the administration untilthe demands of the striking workers had been met.Karlsson continues the story, ‘The Senate discussedthe issue and there was little sympathy for thestudents. The decision was made to take a firm line.Giving in to unreasonable demands would only resultin an escalation of new demands. The boycottdragged on, and increasingly, notes were beingslipped under my door. “Please call in the cops.We want to go back to class”. An acrimoniousmeeting with the student representatives showed littleprogress, but at least we were talking. I receivedmore notes from students urging me not to give in.They wanted to see the domination of a few militantsbroken.‘After five weeks the boycott was suddenly over.As I drove onto campus it was to see studentsstreaming back to their classes. Some gave thethumbs up sign. I heard later that the militants hadbeen threatened with retaliation from the mainstudent body.’A more productive event for Karlsson and one ofthe highlights of his year, was the first meeting hehad with Herb and Joy Kaiser, the American couplewho established MESAB, Medical Education forSouth African Blacks. Herb was a diplomat attachedto the American Embassy in Pretoria. He had hadcancer of the bowel and a Pretoria surgeon had operatedon him, which resulted in complete recovery fromthe cancer. The surgeon in question was now Professorof Surgery at Medunsa. In appreciation Herb wantedto give something back, especially in the medicalfield, to South Africa – the Faculty of Medicineseemed the logical starting point.‘We discussed various options, relates Karlsson.‘I was now more firmly convinced than ever that theSouth African medical services needed to fast trackthe training of black doctors. The major impedimentwas the lack of financial support for such aprogramme. Our bursary fund seemed to be theway to go. The Kaisers were enthusiastic and withincredible drive, they set up the MESAB programmeon their return to the US.’A high-profile board was appointed and fundinginitiatives started. Soon enough funding had beensecured to take five students through their six yearsof study. The programme expanded rapidly and wassoon supporting black medical students in otheruniversities. Later on nurses and physiotherapists alsobenefited.‘The story of MESAB is about the devotion of twopeople. Over a period of about 20 years, more than2 000 black doctors qualified with MESAB assistance.I believe medical history will record the important rolethat MESAB played in addressing the imbalancebetween the numbers of white and black doctors inthe country,’ Karlsson states. In recognition of theircontributions to the training of black doctors inSouth Africa, the Kaisers were both awardedhonorary doctorates by Medunsa.Karlsson handed over his Vice-Principal’s reignsto Professor Ephraim Mokgokong, HOD of Obstetricsand Gynaecology since 1978 and long–timecolleague and friend, in 1990. In an interview at thetime with Medunsa Brief, Mokgokong looked ahead:‘It is time for me to concentrate on the academichealthcare philosophy, not only of Medunsa, but alsoof the country as a whole. I’ll certainly miss the hustleand bustle of obs and gynae, but I look forward tothis next phase. I have no doubt that in years to comeMedunsa will remain the predominant medical schoolin the country.’As usual, he was right.P A G E 3 2