Nelson Mandela would’ve been 104 years old today.
He left a massive legacy that is still celebrated by the world to this day.
One of which is that he would’ve also been married to his immigrant wife, Graca Machel, for 24 years today.
So one can safely assume that he didn’t have any issues with African foreigners.
I would like to think that he would’ve had a few choice words for his fellow countrymen, who entertain violent forms of xenophobia, especially since he was also hosted by numerous African countries during his days on the run.
Many of those countries supported both Mandela and South Africa’s fight for democracy in numerous ways, helping us to get the freedom that eventually brought him the presidency.
Today we remember the Madiba Jive, the infectious smile that lit up his whole face, the sincere humility, how easily he could be distracted by the presence of a child and his genuine love for his country.
Some argue that there was nothing magical about Madiba. That he was actually a sell-out for the compromises he made when brokering our transition to democracy, leaving economic power in the hands of the minority.
And that he was merely a ceremonial head of state, who was more interested in glory for the ANC and his own global image.
But that is a very narrow argument that overlooks the bigger picture of what he and his actions symbolised.
There are numerous ways in which CODESA could’ve ended and almost all the outcomes would’ve led to a civil war.
Whether you agree with it or not, Mandela’s chief objective was peace; to avoid further bloodshed that would take South Africa down the same path as some other African countries after they gained their independence.
I think he firmly believed that the ANC would be our salvation and that every single party leader would strictly follow the principles of the Freedom Charter to create a harmonious and prosperous future for all.
He was clearly an overly optimistic and principled man, which in hindsight, was also his biggest flaw.
He made assumptions about his fellow ANC cadres that turned out to be disastrous for both the party and the country.
It’s not to say that if Mandela was still alive today, we would not be experiencing load shedding, grand-scale corruption, public looting, unaffordable cost-of-living, mass tavern shootings, catastrophic youth unemployment and a host of other issues that’s driven us to the brink of mass civil unrest.
But despite his faults, he possessed a moral compass that no other single political leader in power today has, and that most South Africans felt compelled to be guided by; and that the world is still inspired by.
Very few of the world’s politicians are genuinely working on a dream even remotely resembling Mandela’s.
While he may not have had the executive and academic chops of say Thabo Mbeki, he had an irresistible and authentic ethical light that shone bright and that made the rest of us want to act in a way that wouldn’t disappoint him.
So now we are all encouraged to spend 67 minutes of our day today doing something altruistic; a generous and selfless act for someone less fortunate than ourselves; to do what he did for 67 years of his life.
But the truth is, many of us will do it for recognition from society, approval from our peers and likes on our social media.
Our politicians will make speeches in which they will invoke the spirit of Madiba and the lessons he left us, forgetting about the sacrifices, the actions and the difficult decisions he made with one goal in mind – a society that is at peace with itself.
Everything he did in his life, was not only for our freedom, but for what would come after that freedom was achieved – a better life for all.
If our political leadership spent just 67 minutes today, and every day, doing something that brings us closer to that goal, then they would be honouring Madiba in the way that best resembles his own values.
Because compared to Mandela’s dream, WE are all now the less fortunate; the ones in need selfless acts. So they should make every day their Mandela Day.