Ref C80 7 Feb 2014
REMEMBERING NELSON MANDELA
BY Prof Ben Turok
M P (ANC) South Africa
Commemoration of the Life and Times of Nelson Mandela
Abuja, Nigeria 13 February 2014
Who was Nelson Mandela really ? And how
should we remember him ?
I pose these questions because Mandela is
remembered in so many different ways and it is the responsibility of his
comrades, especially the veterans among, us to ensure that his role in history
is preserved correctly. There is no
intention here to be possessive of his legacy, or to deny others in their
desire to claim him for all of humanity, but it is important that the essence
of the man should not be lost in the general acclaim of his virtues.
In part, we take this stance because, in
South Africa, there is a deliberate move to hijack Mandela’s name by the
political opposition in order to piggyback on his reputation for the sake of
gaining credibility. Politicians who were never part of the struggle, but who
wish to present themselves as upholders of democracy are celebrating Mandela as
if he was associated with them in the years of apartheid. We need to correct
that.
Others, for more benign reasons, celebrate
Mandela for his forgiving of former enemies, and so he is portrayed as a man
with an overwhelmingly generous nature. There is indeed a basis for this
approach, but we should not forget that this forgiving was also due to the need
to prevent civil war, that is, there was a political necessity to undermine
extremism in the white community. Mandela was a pragmatic person. But he was
also very wise, and he understood the racial dynamics in the post liberation
period.
Still others, celebrate Mandela for his
humanity, for his love of people and particularly children, which he
demonstrated in public so often. This is the characteristic that is most
referred to in global fora, and rightly so. In his speeches as President of
South Africa, Mandela again and again referred to the essential humanity of our
people and called upon all to respect everyone.
Yet others admire his non-racialism which
he advocated and promoted at every opportunity. He went out of his way to show
his public appreciation of people of all social origins and identities without
exception, inviting them to visit him, be photographed with them, and show
respect for everyone. This was remarkable for a man whose political origin was
in African nationalism though never descending to chauvinism. We can never
forget that he was the leader of the African National Congress when it was
still exclusively for African members.
Again, some appreciate his openness to
engage with people who held totally opposite political positions. He was
willing to engage with people like George Bush and many others, who had opposed
the African National Congress and indeed condemned Mandela as a terrorist in
the past.
In all these relationships, although he was
polite and open, he never departed from his principled stance on what was right
for the oppressed people of South Africa. And that too was appreciated by all
who came into contact with him.
We, in the African National Congress want
to share Mandela’s memory with all the world, whatever aspect of his
personality they may focus on.
At the same time, we have a special concern
that his role as leader of a tough liberation struggle is never forgotten.
Mandela, like so many others, sacrificed his personal life, he freedom, and was
willing to give life itself, for the struggle which was the centre of his
existence.
I was privileged to be with Mandela in the
1956 Treason Trial for two of the four
years. He was then in his thirties, an imposing young man of regal bearing,
always in formal dress, and calm in demeanour. There were times when the
evidence led was deeply disturbing and we were warned that it could lead to the
ultimate sentence. Fortunately the prosecution overreached itself set the bar
too high, and failed to prove that the movement was either set on establishing
a communist state or that our means were violent. The most senior leaders among
the accused were Chief Albert Luthuli and Moses Kotane, Mandela was then a
middle level leader, but we all knew that his time would come.
Some years later, in 1961, I was drawn in
to assist Mandela with logistics. Since I was a professional land surveyor,
familiar with mapping, I was designated to advise on strategic targets such as
roads, bridges etc throughout the country to be sabotaged. I met with Mandela
in secure premises in Johannesburg, for these purposes. Again I found him to be
calm but determined, even though he was by then living in hiding.
In the succeeding years, our paths
diverted, for me it was prison and exile. For Mandela it was Robben Island for
all those long years. But he was not forgotten, indeed his fame grew with the
years, until the whole world knew about his existence. “Free Nelson Mandela”
became the most popular slogan around the world.
We know that in Nigeria this call was taken
up by the labour movement, by students and academic staff, and by many others.
For that we are for ever grateful, and it succeeded as history records.
But now, new challenges await us, in South
Africa, in Nigeria, and throughout Africa. We need unity of all progressive
forces, we need clear policies, focused objectives, and above all, determined
commitment to the cause of a world free of oppression and for a decent
existence for all.
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