It is very tempting to dismiss the Darkie affair as a storm in the Jukskei. After all, if we cannot laugh at ourselves, if we cannot stop taking offense at every turn, then we really will struggle to reach political maturation. And yet, I cannot shake off the sense that Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande, was out of line. Here is why.

The facts, firstly, are widely known by now. Nzimande said in parliament:

"If the matric results are bad, this is taken as proof that this government of darkies is incapable. If the matric pass rate goes up, it means the results have been manipulated by these darkies."

Democratic Alliance MP Lindiwe Mazibuko took offense at the word 'darkies' and asked the deputy speaker to intervene. Since then, the word 'darkie' has been ruled by the deputy speaker to be inappropriate for use in parliament. Along the way, Nzimande made fun of Mazibuko, in Zulu, reportedly muttering about her non-township origins.

We should generally allow colourful language and cheeky exchanges between politicians. Analogies, naughty jibes, other figures of speech are all part of the linguistic battle of winning hearts and minds. And I, for one, thought critics overreacted, for example, when President Zuma recently claimed that African National Congress members would go to Heaven and other parties' supporters, not. So why do I then, by contrast, feel uncomfortable about what Nzimande was up to in his speech act? The reasons are as follows.

First, this is NOT about whether or not 'darkies' can be used by blacks themselves. That is an old chestnut that need not be settled here. It is the same debate that have raged for decades in the US about whether it is acceptable for blacks to refer to each other as 'nigger.' I think the appropriation of derogatory words, by a group that used to be the target of that word, is possible, under some circumstances. But it is irrelevant, as some defenders of Nzimande are trying to do, to point to the fact that in some sections of the black community, and in many townships, this is already the case. I think Nzimande's use of the word 'darkies' is objectionable for a very different reason.

The reason Nzimande was out of order is that he was using the word to delegitimise those who criticise a black government. He was, very bluntly, trying to construct the psychology of government critics': such critics are either leftover anti-black racists or, of course, their black friends who did not grow up in townships (read: Lindiwe Mazibuko et. al.)

And that is objectionable political speech. It displaces substantive engagement with personal attack.

If this was an isolated incident, it would be less of a big deal. But it is not isolated. It is part of a pattern of poor political dialogue in South Africa and that is why it is important to draw attention to the matter. Last year, for example, it was Mluleki George who was ejected by the deputy speaker from parliament for suggesting that Zuma was leading us "down a path to lawlessness." The deputy speaker could not specify a rule that had been violated when she protected the government, and Zuma in particular, from criticism in parliament. (Rather embarrassingly, of course, she eventually claimed to rely on Rule 66 of the National Assembly rules - which could not be true since this rule had nothing to do with parliament but with protection of the judiciary from spurious criticism!)

To this, of course, we can add the antics of the minister of defence, Lindiwe Sisulu, who continues to use ridicule as an alternative to taking political opponents seriously. Remember her outburst when Congress of the People attempted to pass a motion of no confidence in the president? She shouted at Bishop Dandala, "Get out and go and serve the church!" Worse, still, was when she said that it is unfortunate that there is no "reference in our rules to how parliament can deal with such a waste of time and resources."

In the context of such political bullying and consistent attempts to silence disagreement, we cannot laugh off Nzimande's comments.

Last, this leaves us with his engagement of Mazibuko. Some claim he did not call her a 'coconut' as reported by the Mail & Guardian. He was merely implying, in Zulu, that someone who did not grow up in the township might miss the (social) fact that the word 'darkie' is not (necessarily) derogatory. Let's imagine, for sake of argument, that is roughly what he did say. Even so, his attempt to ridicule Mazibuko is objectionable.

First, the debate about whether or not blacks themselves can use the word 'darkie' is a complex debate. It is cheap to dismiss another black person's viewpoint on the sheer ground that she did not grow up in a township. That is a childish response, and smacks of intellectual bankruptcy.

Second, and of much greater concern to me, is the fact that Mazibuko represents a certain kind of politics that will, unfortunately, be undermined by this kind of attack against her. She does, through no choice of her own, represent young, black, cosmopolitan South Africans who wish to be involved in public life. That is very difficult for black South Africans who went to model-C or private schools. You are made to feel apologetic for your educational background and your middle class or intelligentsia membership.

You can join the ranks of the ANC or SACP and be rest assured that a Malema will always have more popularity than you, or you can - especially if you believe in their policies as Mazibuko does - join the DA and be at the receiving end of silly, derogatory criticism that you are an elitist, naïve young 'girl' out of touch with the masses. In that kind of context, where is the incentive for young South Africans from a middle class background to subject themselves to that kind of ridicule?

This is a disincentive for many many talented young black South Africans, with good education and ideas in hand, to enter politics. The next Lindiwe Mazibuko will now think twice. And that is a sad consequence of Nzimande-like bullying. (And, no, it is not good enough to retort that politics is tough anyway; some forms of engagement violate the rules of decent political play. This is a clear case.)

Most shocking of all, of course, is the subtext lurking beneath the ridicule, "You, Ms Mazibuko, are less black than the rest of us who can speak flawless Zulu and who grew up in townships." It might be an interesting class war among blacks that could make for good research data for an enthusiastic sociology student, but in the meantime our political discourse is worse for wear.

Dr Nzimande, for someone in charge of education, you are in dire need of education, Sir.

- Mckaiser is an associate at the Wits Center for Ethics and hosts a weekly politics show on Talk Radio 702

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