18 July 2008
editorial
Johannesburg — JAZZ musician Hugh Masekela struck a sour note a couple of weeks ago by declining to take part in a 90th birthday tribute to former president Nelson Mandela that was being put together by the Times newspaper.
"I have been saying 'Happy Birthday' to Mandela for over 30 years and, quite frankly, I'm tired," the newspaper quoted Masekela snapping. "Of course he's helped a lot of people, but after that it's all about him, him, him."
And the outraged letters flooded in. Masekela may be an icon in his own right. He may have recorded one of the best-known "Free Mandela" songs to clog the international airwaves during the turbulent 1980s. He may be an old friend of Mandela's, and he may have already accepted an invitation to play at the official Mandela birthday concert taking place in Eastern Cape this weekend. But none of this, apparently, gives him the right to utter a critical word about our beloved Madiba.
Let there be no doubt: Rolihlahla Dalibhunga Mandela occupies a special place in the hearts of the majority of South Africans of all races, ages and political persuasions, perhaps more so in today's uncertain political environment than ever before. And rightly so, for reasons that have been repeated so often they have become trite -- he spent close to three decades in jail for resisting apartheid yet emerged without a trace of bitterness towards his oppressors to lead us into the democratic era.
It is no exaggeration to state that it is highly unlikely there would have been a negotiated transition from minority to majority rule in SA had it not been for Mandela's wisdom, humility, dignity under pressure and willingness to compromise in the interests of peace. Yes, Mandela is a great man, perhaps the greatest statesman to have emerged from the African continent.
But he is not a saint, and it is in nobody's interests to pretend otherwise. He wouldn't be human if he wasn't occasionally a grumpy old man, just like Masekela. The best way of honouring Mandela is not by insisting he can do no wrong, but by holding him up as an example of what can be achieved by having the humility to put the needs of your country ahead of your own, showing dignity under pressure and striving for the wisdom to know when compromise will achieve more than confrontation.
There was never a better time for South Africans to reflect on Mandela's legacy than today, when so many of those occupying leadership positions in the African National Congress (ANC) seem hell-bent on trashing it. But he, and other struggle giants like Archbishop Desmond Tutu, cannot be the nation's conscience for ever. At some point South Africans are going to have to start choosing leaders who are more like Mandela and less like ANC Youth League president Julius Malema.
There is no better manner in which to describe Mandela's contribution to this country over the past 90 years, and the way forward for the rest of us, than in his own words, the final sentences of his famous autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom: "I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended."
Happy birthday, Tata. May there be many more. And above all, may there be many more who strive to follow in your footsteps during our long walk to freedom.
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