RaDical MiDDle - ColdType

72 | denis beckett
When I finished apologising, the bank guys sat me down to
hear how Africa Vision was going to make South africa a better
country. I sang my song and the chief guy said: “If I understand
you correctly, it sounds like you are advocating majority rule in
South africa.”
“Oh yes,” I said, pleased to have been at last located on the
side of the angels.
“Well,” he said, “this company would see that approach as
enemy action”.
I’ve worried ever since about the career path of the junior
vice-president who had invited me.
Journalistically and humanly and so forth, the america trip
was terrific. funds-wise … well, I returned to Johannesburg
with cash in my pocket but not in the league I had foreseen. I
had a $50 subscription cheque from freedom House, and I had
husbanded to excess my $50 a day allowance from uncle Sam.
The outlook could not be described as dazzling, but I was
perversely more set on my course, not less. aside from wanting
a forum that was not “for blacks” or “for whites” as readers, I
believed I had graduated into a next-phase as well, wanting an
exploring of ideas that were not “pro-black” or “pro-white” as
concepts. for three months I worked from home, sending out
proposals and budgets. Some were politely rejected, some were
impolitely rejected, most got no reply. By mid august the kitty
was low. My daughter’s first birthday was coming up. I psyched
myself into acknowledging defeat and looking for a job. Gael
appreciated that, no two ways. and I appreciated her saying:
give it till the end of the month, last chance.
Then Desmond Tutu phoned. He had been thinking about
this thing I wanted to do; would I care to call on him? Very
soon after that I had a loan, r10 000, the biggest cheque I’d
ever seen.
Just before the launch of the first issue, my new baby got
a new name. I was never wholly sold on Africa Vision. It felt
too “good”, like we would only see plucky struggling-againstadversity
africa and ignore the stupendous spread of human