Larger than life

On Tuesday, South Africa will mark what would have been Nelson Mandela’s 99th birthday. Even if the spirit of our politics nowadays is far removed from what Madiba stood for, millions of South Africans and others around the world will honour him with 67 minutes of voluntary activity to help the less fortunate. Donate blood, clean a park, visit someone in hospital — anything to brighten someone else’s day. Oh, and ponder how far backwards we have slid since 1999. Ask yourself why, and resolve to help change things.