He gave us freedom, compassion, himself

AS WE celebrate the life of Madiba, our icon, let us strive to maintain and sustain his legacy.

It’s a legacy of one nation, one South Africa, through the promotion of the common good, tolerance, respect for the dignity of others and the deepening of democracy through diligent observance of the balances embedded in the constitution, such as the Bill of Rights, freedom of expression, and the independence of the judiciary.

In Reinhold Niebhur’s wise words: “Man’s capacity for justice makes democracy possible; man’s inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary”.

As a South African, I am filled with appreciation for a man who gave us so much: freedom, love, compassion, graciousness and, of course, himself. His selflesssness is what we remember him by and we will continue to keep him in our hearts. It takes a village to raise a child, and all South Africa’s children to continue the work which the father of our democracy initiated.

In Sepedi they say: “Life is a message – listen to it. Life is a belief – trust it. Life is a gift – accept it. Life is love – think about it. Life is an adventure – dare it.”

As we lament the death of the great statesman, we are nevertheless united in celebrating a life well lived.