Charles Darwin is a giant in the history of biology. His idea that something called ‘factors’, the conceptual precursor to genes elaborated by the monk Gregor Mendel, were inherited from parent to child still stands incontroverted today. The intellectual architecture on all of modern life sciences knowledge today rests on Darwin’s idea.

Darwin visited the Cape between 31 May and 18 June 1836. This fact is not well known.

You will not find it in the history or life sciences secondary school curriculum. It is not part of the biology or medicine or history curriculum at universities, because history of science is not taught in an organised manner in our country. Here is my modest contribution to an introduction to an important theme in the history of science in Africa.

‘In the evening came to an anchor in Simon’s Bay’ Charles Darwin wrote in his notebook on the 31st of May 1836. The Beagle was on its way from Mauritius to Plymouth and stopped at the Cape for 19 days, the longest period of stay at any of the eleven ports other than the Galapagos Islands. ‘We lost a week near Cape Lagullas (sic) by contrary winds and a severe gale’ Darwin noted.

Next time, I'm bringing a cannon.

As the alien being landed he or she or it (lets give the alien being a name as any sensible human being would – and how about Dinges) was witness to the oddest sight: thousands upon thousands, Dinges could not, even with a much larger brain, count how many, were staring at 30 men all chasing after a strangely shaped object.

In fact, as Dinges would later learn, millions upon millions living as far away as two islands called New Zealand stared at rectangular shaped image-producing machines called televisions with the same level of interest as those at Newlands Stadium, as the place was called where Dinges first landed.

How is it possible, Dinges wondered, that 30 large men wearing odd coverings called clothes chasing after a rocket shaped object made from animal skin could hold the attention of so many human beings simultaneously? Indeed, not only hold their attention, but had them make their bodies and faces twist into such strange contortions?

Justice ought to do...

The Irish man of letters John Burke once wrote: ‘It is not, what a lawyer tells me I may do; but what humanity, reason, and justice, tells me I ought to do.’ (On Conciliation with America, 1775, p.31). I thought of van Zyl Slabbert, who recently was installed as Chancellor of the University of Stellenbosch, when I read this quote.

There are few people in this world who have, as van Zyl does, an instinct for reason and justice. You and I know of some individuals who have this quality, embedded in their very nature, a visceral inclination towards doing the right thing. Nelson Mandela has it. Archbishop Tutu has it. Helen Suzman has it. Beyers Naude had it.