Mandela’s release 30 years ago recalled
THE NELSON Mandela Foundation hosted Liberian Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Leymah Gbowee along with author Dr Danai Mupotsa and co-founder of Black Lives Matter Opal Tometi for the 30th anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s release from prison.
Mandela’s second wife Graça Machel, grandson Mandla Mandela, Cape Town mayor Dan Plato, former anti-apartheid activists, members of the original reception committee who facilitated Mandela’s return, ministers and deputy ministers were all in attendance in the filled-to-capacity Cape Town City Hall, yesterday.
The foundation’s chief executive, Sello Hatang, said: “Thirty years ago we were able to support an iconic moment in liberation; that moment was but a celebration of a much larger and longer struggle which many of you here made sacrifices for.”
Foundation trustee Nikiwe Bikitsha said: “He had entered prison as a young fighter and emerged as an elder statesman, more open to negotiation, but still willing to go toe-to-toe when needed.”
Gbowee, who was guest of honour and keynote speaker, said her first recollection of peace and justice at a global level was when as a child in Liberia, prayers were said every first Sunday in church for South Africa and for Mandela’s release.
“Offerings were collected to be sent to the All Africa Conference of Churches for aid and relief for the South African people. In our church, as children, we would keep our offerings for soda pop and candy and in those moments my mother would be watching all five of us girls to see if we dropped our coins in the basket for South Africa.”
Gbowee said we should ponder on whether values displayed by Mandela – that of sacrifice, service, compassion and collective humanity – were still key features in our everyday existence.