Mphahlele

5 January 1978

Dear Tim

The council of the University of the North has unanimously proposed my name for the headship of English to M.C. Botha. I believe he's still on vacation. So any day I should hear from the University. I was interviewed at the University of Pretoria (head of the English Dept. there with a strange-sounding name – like ‘Sebaga’ – Sotho phonetics!) + head of RAU's English Dept + Kgware + Dean of Arts at the North + the latter's Venda head. They were also unanimous in proposing my appointment to the Council. But the interview was on the 1st December. They pushed it to the very edge of the cliff because they were trying to seduce someone else, from England, for the job. So it was quite plain they did not like to take me in the first place. Things didn't work and they had their backs to the wall.

We'll see what kind of institution it is, if something does not go wrong between M.C. and whatever/whoever …

You can thus see that I shall be pressed for time before the University reopens – what with setting up house and preparing for the year. It just seems the 3-7 February will be too much for me to negotiate so that I can take part – ‘negotiate’ i.e. to manage. Had I been given Nov-Jan to plan etc knowing that I have been appointed, there would be no problem. I wish I could say ‘yes’ right away.

The way I see it, from the day I am appointed the ban should automatically fall away, as I couldn't enter an educational institution otherwise. But Phatudi told me some paper work will be needed after everything, in order to clear me officially.

Hope things go well for you with the workshop.

Best

Zeke

note new address

Dept. of Education

Chuenespoort

Dear Tim,

You've heard the worst, and I'm still stunned. Meantime I'm Circuit Inspector in charge of English. I'm trying to work up enthusiasm, and who knows, I may yet become one of the inspectors. There are of course good men in the dept., men with sense of mission. I miss the classroom madly, but they give me a sense of purpose.