Take action, inspire change
IT IS so beautiful to witness how Mandela Day has captured the imagination – not only of South Africans who share his blood, but the whole wide world.
Before his release and on becoming our founding president on a peace and reconciliation ticket, there was hardly a nook or cranny in our global village where no one knew his name.
Indeed, it warmed the hearts and put steel into the bones of many an Umkhonto we Sizwe guerrilla-in-training in Angola, way back, to witness how peasants, even in the most remote rural areas, would flock to rallies and how, unable to write, they would nonetheless make simple crosses on petitions demanding the release of Mandela. For, if little other information ever reached them, they all knew about Mandela. And loved him to bits, like the rest of us.
The UN General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/64/13 in November 2009, declaring July 18 Nelson Mandela International Day. Millions of the world’s poor, vulnerable, hungry, neglected and unloved have since felt the love of ordinary people. Mandela is continuing to change the world, even from the grave.
This year’s theme is “Take action; inspire change”. Or as Madiba himself put it when he finally retired from retirement: “It is now in your hands, so don’t call me, I’ll call you.”
From among the millions of activities, it is those littlest of hands of our tiny tots drawing a card for their Tata Madiba or helping to make sandwiches for the poor on this day that is so gratifying .
Another comes from the foundation of FW de Klerk, the only president we know of to release a prisoner to become his president after he had to step aside.
De Klerk said the foundation’s staff “will be making Visual Communication Kits, which Autism Western Cape will then donate to families who have little or no access to resources. Among others, these kits are designed to help give children who are nonverbal (or lack the language skills to verbalise their needs) a voice, through the use of communication cards”.
That’s how far former bitter enemies have come. Which brings to mind our favourite saying of Madiba’s, for obvious reasons, not least the trials and tribulations this paper has had to endure with a change of ownership and direction in becoming a voice for all: “It always seems impossible until it is done.”
Long live the loving spirit of Nelson Mandela, long live the spirit of no surrender.
A collection of quotes by Nelson Mandela who inspired a nation and the world
For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.
We must use time wisely and forever realise that the time is always ripe to do right.
As long as many of our people still live in utter poverty, as long as children still live under plastic covers, as long as many of our people are still without jobs, no South African should rest and wallow in the joy of freedom.
The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.