14 January 1977

My dear Guy,

Things have been happening – others refusing to happen – since I last heard from you, after we had missed seeing each other. When I was back there, I took a shot at the Chair of English vacant at the Univ. of the North. The head is supposed to be on his way out for retirement. I also saw Dr. Phatudi – Lebowa's Chief Minister – to continue our dialogue about the political mechanics of returning for good. I have always thought of my coming back in relation to a position preferably equivalent in rank to the full professorship I have in this dept. (without being head of a dept. necessarily) at the North.

What should happen but that the Registrar of the North should write in Sept. (the application was handed in in July) to tell one my application ‘was unsuccessful’. I discovered that they had not even written to my referees, one at UNISA and the other my present Chairman. They had had two testimonials etc. Dr. Phatudi on hearing the sad news from me, set about investigating the thing. The Minister of Interior had already given him his ruling that I may return for good and the Rector was saying that he turned down my application because he had had it on authority that I would not be allowed to return! Now the matter, I'm told is being reviewed. Incidentally, the Commissioner General was upset – or so his letter sounded – that the outgoing Rector should have failed to check my political standing with him first before arriving at his decision not to have me.

I had now made up my mind that, as the re-entry problem no longer exists, I move back to S.A. next August. I shall go straight to Pietersburg to set up house, whether or not I shall be employed by the University. How ironic it will be if I find it necessary, nay imperative, to ask for a job in your university or any other ‘open’ institution when I told you I should consider it morally indefensible to teach in an institution that excludes Blacks! Maybe my indignation then would be so overwhelming that I should act with a sense of vengeance, without any qualms. Who knows?