Mawere: Mandela a point of light

By Mutumwa Mawere

What is Mandela’s legacy?  On 18 July, former President Mandela will turn 91 and when one looks back at his life one will quickly discover that it has been a life of selflessness, service, and adding value to human civilization.

Mandela like many of his contemporaries made choices that in today’s circumstances may never capture their true significance and meaning.  The world has recognized Mandela’s unique place in human history and his impact is not country, race or class specific but universal.

It is easy to take for granted the remarkable changes that have taken place in South Africa and, indeed, the impact of such changes in resolving other seemingly intractable conflicts.

Mandela’s destiny was chosen for him.  He was born into a society that attempted to classify human beings based on their skin color and created a civilization in which one human being acquired rights that could not be enjoyed at law by other citizens.  A nation state was created out of a foundation of race-based values and principles.

Mandela belongs to a class of Africans who refused to accept a civilization that made black South Africans inferior citizens whose possibilities in life were controlled by a state they were not a part of.

Mandela could easily have opted to cut a deal for himself with the apartheid regime.  He chose not to until civil rights were restored to all.  During the last 15-years of democracy, South African have enjoyed freedoms that would not have been possible were it not for the sacrifice, determination and courage of people like Mandela.

His place in South African history as the first black President of post-apartheid South Africa is secure.  He could easily have become a life President of South Africa but he chose not to.  He saw in every South African the face of a President and was secure enough to appreciate that the highest office in the land must be shared.

Mandela knows that there is no one indispensable and by South Africa adopting a republican ideology, the face of a President need not be his only but can be that of any person irrespective of their class, race, ethnicity, and religion who is willing to serve other people.  Ultimately, in a republic the sovereignty is vested in the people who should select one among them to represent their interests as State President in the state.

By choosing to retire after one term, Mandela made it possible for friends of Thabo (FOT) rather than friends of Mandela (FOM) to also access the state and influence it.

The torch had to be passed on in the interests of nation building.  Had Mandela decided to remain in office it is common cause that access to the state would inevitably have been restricted to his circle friends and family.

In building any nation state one has to recognize that human beings have no power to change the number of hours in a day and they cannot extend life.  We are all human and Mandela is flesh like all of us.  What then makes him an icon, superstar, a fountain of inspiration?

In making the choices that he made in his 67 years of active political engagement, I do not think that he had any idea that such choices would inspire not just his fellow citizens to serve humanity and be less selfish.

In his inaugural State of the Nation Address last week on Wednesday, President Zuma declared 18 July as a national day in recognition of the contribution of President Mandela to nation building and humanity.

President Zuma said: “Madiba was politically active for 67 years, and on Mandela Day people all over the world, the workplaces, at home and in schools, will be called upon to spend at least 67 minutes of their time doing something useful within their communities, especially among the less fortunate.”

Mandela chose to be the change that he wanted to see.  He did impact on the world through action and not inaction and silence.  What lessons do we draw from Mandela’s legacy?

Through Mandela the world has come to learn that even people who are deprived of personal freedom can have a profound influence on free people.  We also learn that the only power people who do not have power is the power to organize.  Without the African National Congress (ANC), Mandela’s influence on the change agenda would have been compromised.

By better appreciating the true meaning and significance of Mandela’s legacy, it becomes easier for our generation to advance the cause further.  We are indeed lucky to be alive at the same time as Mandela.

Is it not ironic that the value of Mandela’s legacy has been recognized and celebrated more than people he did not sacrifice his life to free?  It took 15 years for South Africa to dedicate a day for Mandela to allow us to reflect on what remains to be done to fulfill his dream of a just and fair society.

What are you going to be doing on 18 July?  Please ask your friend, neighbor, and relative what they are doing on this special day.

I will certainly be part of the 18 July celebration that has been initiated by a group of African persons concerned that the majority of initiatives and programs like the 46664 have been promoted by non-resident persons with no or little response from the natives of Africa.

We have chosen to celebrate the life on another remarkable African, former President Kaunda, who like Mandela made choices that had a far reaching impact not only in Zambia but throughout the world.

It is never late to be part of the change that you want to see.  Mandela’s birthday should give you an opportunity to reflect on your own purpose in life.

There is a point in Mandela’s life like there is any human life.  Each of us makes a difference to our own circle of friends and it is incumbent upon each and every one of us to appreciate the difference we make individually and collectively to the human life experience.