By Marimuthu Subramoney
(aka Subry Govender)
While all of us are caught up in the euphoria of South Africa's first democratic president, Nelson Mandela, celebrating his 93 birthday on Monday, July 18, I want to take you back to the memorable day on February 11, 1990 when he was released from 27 years in prison.
Nine days earlier, the last white president of South Africa, Mr F W de Klerk, astounded South Africans and the world at large when on February 2, 1990 he made some amazing pronouncements. He first announced that the ANC, PAC and scores of other organisations would be unbanned with immediate effect and then went onto announce that the symbol of the freedom struggle, Nelson Mandela, would be released from prison unconditionally on February 11, 1990.
Hundreds of foreign and local journalists, including this correspondent, descended on Cape Town a few days earlier to witness the historic event. Scores of political activists, members of the United Democratic Front, the Release Mandela Committee and the Welcome Home Mandela Committee, headed by Cyril Ramaphosa, were also present to receive the political icon.
Soon after he was released from Victor Verster Prison, he was met by his former wife, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, other leaders and a sea of television crews, photographers and journalists.
He was debriefed by Ramaphosa and his committee members and immediately driven to the Grand Parade in the centre of Cape Town where more than 30 000 wildly-cheering people awaited him.
He was greeted by shouts of "Viva Mandela,Viva" and the singing of freedom songs. When Mandela climbed the platform with Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, the huge crowd erupted into spontaneous singing, dancing and some even shedding tears of joy.
When Mandela began to address the highly-jubilant and happy crowd, he immediately adopted a conciliatory tone that was to be his political message for the rest of his political life until his retirement in 1999.
He started off by paying tribute to the people for making his release possible.
He said: "I stand here before you not as a prophet but as a humble servant of you, the people. Your tireless and heroic sacrifices has made it possible for me to be here today. I, therefore, place my remaining years of my life in your hands."
He then surprised many people in the huge crowd when he described Mr De Klerk, the white leader who made his release possible, as a "man of integrity". There were many in the huge crowd who showed their displeasure by hissing and making unkind remarks against De Klerk.
But Mandela went on.
"Mr De Klerk," the newly-released Mandela said, "has gone further than any other National Party president in taking real steps to normalise the situation".
"It must be added that Mr De Klerk himself is a man of integrity who is acutely aware of the dangers of a public figure not honouring his undertaking."
At the same time, however, he called on the people not to let their guard down and to continue the political struggles until South Africa was free. But he made it clear that South Africa was a non-racial country and that the new South Africa should be free of racism and offer equal opportunities for all people.
In this regard, he had this message for the people: "In conclusion, I wish to go to my own words during my trial in 1964. They are as true today as they were then. I quote 'I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons will live together in harmony with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for, and to see realised. But my Lord, if needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die'."
Soon after delivering what most observors considered to be a conciliatory and all-embracing message, Mr Mandela was whisked away to the home of Archbishop Desmond Tutu where he addressed the media.
In his address to the local and foreign journalists, he not only thanked the media for always promoting his release and freedom but also re-iterated that he wanted to see the creation of a new South Africa where all citizens would be treated equally without any discrimination whatsoever, where race discrmination and domination would be a thing of the past.
Mandela, thereafter, pursued the unity theme throughout the negotiations process from 1990 to 1994, and for the next five years after he was installed as the country's first democratic president after the first democratic elections on April 27, 1994.
On the day of his inauguration as president on May 9, 1994, he said:
"Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another. We enter into a covenant that we shall build a society in which all South Africans, both black and white, will be able to walk tall, without any fear in their hearts, assured of their inalienable right to human dignity – a rainbow nation at peace with itself and the world."
And when he addressed the newly-elected democratic parliament in Cape Town on May 25, 1994, he once again emphasised the importance of building a new South Africa where all people would feel at home.
He told the new parliamentarians: "Our single most important challenge is, therefore, to help establish a social order in which the freedom of the individual will truly mean the freedom of the individual. We must construct that people-centred society of freedom in such a manner that it guarantees the political liberties and the human rights of all our citizens."
And when he formed his first democratic Government, Mandela was all-inclusive. He ensured that all the communities were represented in his Cabinet. He travelled the length and breadth of South Africa, speaking to different cultural and religious groups, re-assuring them that group and individual rights were protected in the new non-racial and democratic South Africa.
In one address in Durban in November 1994, Mandela gave an assurance that no cultural group or individual should feel insecure and that they should become part of the mainstream.
"Let us all join together regardless of the colour of our skin, the language we speak at home and the religion we confess and together do what our country and all its children cry out for to build one nation, inspired by a common patriotism and love for the rich diversity of cultures which is our common heritage."
Nelson Mandela, despite being imprisoned for 27 years and being hounded, banned and made to feel a "criminal" in the 67 years of his service to the struggles for freedom and liberty, has never wavered from this devotion to non-racialism, equality and democracy. His life has been an inspiration to all South Africans and the world at large. They are values that he had passed onto to Thabo Mbeki after only serving five years and stepping down from office in 1999.
But, unfortunately, 21 years after his release and 17 years after the ANC has been in power, many people within the ANC appear to have forgotten the ideals, values and principles that Mandela had struggled and sacrificed 67 years of his life for.
Today, it appears, it's more about how some of the people could use the organs of power to enrich themselves. They have no interest in Mr Mandela's propogation of a non-racial and democratic South Africa where all people could live in peace and harmony.
It seems Mr Mandela is a "hard act" to follow.
After his release and during his five years in office as President Mr Mandela has visited India, among other countries, on several occasions. During his visit to India in 1995, he was feted as a "Mahatma" and compared to Mahatma Gandhi because he brought freedom to South Africa just as Gandhi unchained the people of India from British colonialism.
On his 93rd birthday, it, therefore, seems appropriate that because of his role in South Africa he should be honoured by being referred to as Mahatma Mandela or "Saint" Mandela.
This is our tribute to him. - Subry Govender, Chief Editor
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