The world unanimously mourned the death of a great man, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela who
passed away on the 5th of December. When I first heard the news
around midnight I had mixed emotions; sad in that the world had lost a great
man and happy that finally he was at peace and that he had lived his life full
circle.
However as the week progressed I was somewhat disturbed by
the way he was idolized by the world over. His memorial and funeral services
were star studded; Obama, Ban Ki Moon, Prince Charles, David Cameron, my
amazing President, Kiketwe, Kenneth Kaunda, Joyce Banda, Oprah Winfrey, Richard
Branson, Morgan Tsvangirai, Lionel Jospin, Alain Juppe the works! Then I asked
myself who is this man who unified enemies? Who really is this man Rolihlahla
who became a darling of the West and world over but was incarcerated for 27
years by them?
I personally applaud him for his resilience and
determination in bringing about freedom and independence to the
South Africans. It takes character to do that. I however do not think he is any
saint. The Mandela who actively ran the streets of Johannesburg in protest, opened the
first black law firm in South Africa is most definitely not the same Mandela who
left the cells of Victor Vester Prison in 1990. He walked out a broken man,
unwilling to fight the good fight but more concerned to fight for his own
freedom. A man faced with the sad reality of a cheating and shrewd wife. A man who had spent his entire prime behind
bars, a man who had watched his life pass away day by day and was suddenly
presented with a golden goose…
Do I have a problem with what he did? Hell no! If I was in
the same shoes I wouldn’t have lasted that long. I would have sacrificed the
land and wealth of my country for my own selfish and personal gain. What I do
have a problem with is this ‘air head’ bubble that South Africans have when it
comes to Madiba. Even Desmond Tutu confessed they made mistakes back then. So
why doesn’t South Africa stand and regularize the wrong that was done? There can
never be a separation between economic and political freedom. How do you elect
members of parliament and lay down the strategic policies of a nation without
economic muscle?
I understand the pedestal upon which the West put him on but
South Africa as a whole please enlighten me on what he did besides ingeniously retain
the wealth of the minority and hoodwink you into believing that you were truly
free?
I will forever admire Madiba as a true icon and a unifier of
all races but when you put dollars to cents he gave his country away for his
freedom.
