As we remember and celebrate the life of Nelson Mandela, and all the great leaders of our country, we need to move beyond merely idolising them, towards understanding how we can learn from them and continue the important work they began.
One of the most important priorities of the new Government of National Unity under the leadership of President Nelson Mandela was to unify our nation and to reconcile all South Africans.
The establishment of the Day of Reconciliation on December 16,1995 as a public holiday was an attempt to strike a balance between a divided past and promoting transformation, reconciliation, social cohesion and nation building in a new political dispensation.
So, on December 16, 1995, after 27 years in prison, much soul-searching and South Africa’s first democratic elections, Mandela stood before the South African people and celebrated the Day of Reconciliation as a unified public holiday for the first time.
Mandela said: “Reconciliation means working together to correct the legacy of past injustice. It means making a success of our plans for reconstruction and development.
“Therefore, on this National Day of Reconciliation, my appeal to you, fellow citizens, is: Let us join hands and build a truly South African nation.”
In his efforts to move our nation towards unity, Madiba once said: “If there are dreams about a beautiful South Africa, there are also roads that lead to their goal. Two of these roads could be named Goodness and Forgiveness.”
To this end Madiba has made many personal sacrifices and compromises, leading by example through constant personal soul-searching.
Madiba made it his life mission to convince all South Africans to understand this critical aspect for the Reconstruction and Development Programme of the soul of our country.
In the process, he risked his reputation as a principled freedom fighter, for the sake of freedom, fairness and inclusivity. For the well-being of all South Africans.
In the process, Madiba presented and represented oppressed South Africans as a people who were prepared to give so much for a reconciled South Africa that would offer a better life for all.
But the goodwill of Mandela towards previously advantaged South Africans, and the risk that he took in doing so, in good faith, to this day largely remains unanswered, in many respects.
Our country, South Africa, is still waiting for previously advantaged South Africans to step up over their own self-imposed Rubicon, to follow his example, to take the risk that Madiba took, to step on over into the unknown territory of fellow South Africans, to embrace them as fellow South Africans with a common destiny.
The growing criticism of Mandela for selling out black people in the negotiation process at Codesa is a vital opportunity for South Africans to engage in a meaningful conversation that moves us from blaming others, to a position where we take responsibility for advancing the gains that have been made in moving our country from an oppressive, divided apartheid state to a constitutional democracy.
Whatever else needs to be done to enhance the gains that should have been made from Madiba’s contribution is in our hands.
Our generation will only blame Madiba for a sell-out of black people because we don’t understand our role and place in taking this important process forward.
In my opinion, the sell-outs are those of us who sing the praises of Madiba while we refuse to buy in to his call and his example for all South Africans to make their contribution for transformation, reconciliation, restoration, social cohesion and nation building.
The sell-outs are those of our country’s elected representatives who constantly remind us about the values of Madiba while they themselves are sabotaging the well-being of our country by engaging in corruption and the mismanagement of precious resources which are meant to give poor fellow South Africans a better life.
The one thing we South Africans don’t fully appreciate about Madiba is the vital role he played at a crucial time in our country’s history.
Madiba was the right man at the right time, our Kairos, to calm down and stabilise a volatile period in our divided history, to steer us away from a path of aggressive hostility to a new path of a fragile negotiated settlement.
A culture that has generated racism, discrimination, economic deprivation, the horrors and gross human rights violations of apartheid stands in need of fundamental healing and renewal.
It contains structures of oppression and habits of moral degradation that, unless confronted and healed, will perpetuate themselves and continue to produce people capable of evil.
“In the end, reconciliation is a spiritual process which requires more than just a legal framework. It has to happen in the hearts and minds of people” – Nelson Mandela.
Reconciliation is a deeply spiritual process. That’s why we battle to even begin to engage with it in a meaningful way.
Madiba understood that for meaningful transformation and reconciliation to take place, the process needs the following personal commitment from every South African who is serious about the well-being of our country:
1. Introspection (looking deep within self. Soul-searching).
2. Self-reflection (Looking myself in the mirror. Self-awareness).
3. Group reflection (We South Africans engaging in a courageous conversation that addresses the issue of transformation and reconciliation).
Religious organisations in our country face a spiritual responsibility to help heal the depths of South Africa’s moral ruin.
It is here that the Church, the Mosque, the Temple and other spiritual organisations have a particular role to play, to facilitate the courageous conversation that helps us South Africans to start the healing process. Together.
We have a responsibility to honour the great legacy of Nelson Mandela.
The sure way to honour his legacy is to live his legacy.
Fraser is a life coach specialising in emotional intelligence