By Mzukona Mantshontsho
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born on 18 July 1918, would have turned 104 TODAY and sadly passed-on on Thursday 5 December 2013 at around 20.50pm surrounded by his family at his Houghton home in Johannesburg.
He had been sickly for about a year and had recently been in the Heart Medi-Clinic in Pretoria for around 3 months, for a heart and lung related sickness.
His body was on state at the Union Buildings for public viewing from Wednesday 11 December until Friday 13 December. The family left for the Eastern Cape on Wednesday 11 December to prepare for his funeral where he was laid to rest in Qunu on Sunday 15 December at a private ceremony.
Let us maintain the legacy that uTat’uMandela and all our struggle heroes and heroines fought for. Every time a new leader or political party is introduced, it allows for new enthusiasm, innovations, ideas and a change of mindset. Observing the politics, emotions and theatrics at play every time there is a change in leadership; people react either with enthusiasm or strong resistance.
Our reaction to leadership is based on the reputation of the existing leadership, combined with expectations and hopes of improvement from the new one. Either way, the introduction of new leadership and political parties brings with it a weird mixture of uncertainty, combined with hope and excitement.
If we do not like our leaders we must banish them, if we do not like our government, we must fight to change it. If we do not like the way our funds are plundered, we must speak out and stop it.
Building a great South Africa is the job of each of us.
We can never entrust that to just a few people seated in the 400 comfortable seats of parliament – but we can direct them.
Happy Birthday Tata Mandela!
LALA NGOXOLO MADIBA! Halala Dalibunga! Halala Sopitsho! Vela bembhensela, Yem-Yem, ugqatso lwako ulufezile Madiba oMude, isithonga sako sivakele; phumula Tata weSizwe!
