Elinor Sisulu and Rev Jesse Jackson remember

On 11 December 2013, Brand SA and the Nelson Mandela Foundation hosted a special tribute event at the Centre of Memory in Houghton, with guest speakers Elinor Sisulu and Rev Jesse Jackson.

The rain didn’t deter visitors; distinguished guests, dignitaries, trustees of the Nelson Mandela Foundation and members of the public filed into the marquee, serenaded by the Joyous Celebration Choir.

Chairman of the Nelson Mandela Foundation and Mandela Rhodes Foundation, Prof Njabulo Ndebele, described the event as an occasion to reflect on the life of Nelson Mandela.

“South Africans are asking what now? What do we do after Madiba is gone? His passing is such a challenge. But I can assure you that we needn’t worry because Madiba thought about his passing himself, and planned for it. He established three legacy organisations: The Nelson Mandela Foundation, The Mandela Rhodes Foundation and the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund.

“The Foundation, home to the Centre of Memory, is custodian of his legacy. Here people can engage in dialogue and learn about his life. The Children’s Fund focuses on youth and is currently raising funds to build the Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital. The Mandela Rhodes Foundation is tasked with developing high level leadership capacity, it’s scholarship attracts the very best minds from across Africa.

“It is through these three channels that Madiba planned his legacy. Make use of these institutions, visit the Centre of Memory, and experience the space in which he worked,” he said.

Dr David Molapo, programme director, welcomed Rev Jesse Jackson.

Rev Jackson: From apartheid to freedom, and from freedom to equality
“Nelson Mandela expanded a movement of which he was a part and seized the moment. The issue is not how much he changed in jail, but how much South Africa changed because he was jailed. When his body was freed, the world shook. When his spirit was released, the world shook again.

“He did not go to jail as some out of control youth, he went to jail as a freedom fighter, and he came out as a freedom fighter. He used his mind, body and spirit to transform the order. He fought to change the law,” he said. “We learn in the struggle that strong minds break strong chains.”

Speaking about Madiba’s character, Rev Jackson quoted the former statesman as being “an enlightened, literate man” who was “tough minded, tender hearted, with unbending determination, fearless and courageous.”

“With power he chose redemption over revenge, he negotiated with wisdom and clarity. He was a living martyr for 51 years – 27 years in prison, 24 years after prison.

Drawing similarities between the Civil Rights Movement in the US to South Africa’s fight for freedom, Rev Jackson described the struggle as “the same system, under different names. In 1965 we got the right to vote in the US, in 1994 South Africans got the vote.

“America broke because African Americans lead the drive to break the system. And yet we are free, but not equal. There is unfinished business. We cannot have freedom being at the bottom of a free South Africa. We cannot be equal when there is still poverty.

“We’ve gone from apartheid to freedom, but where are we on the path to equality?” he asked.

Elinor Sisulu pays tribute to struggle veterans
“This has been a week of mixed emotions. The logical mind tells us that at 95-years-old, Madiba’s job was done and it was time to say goodbye. But the emotional heart steals the sense of loss. The whole country has been washed in a wave of nostalgia, just as the rain is washing us.

“As we mourn Madiba’s passing, we honour and express condolences to the family of Baby Jakes Matlala – a wonderful South African icon. We enjoyed his career and his colourful and obliging character, his work in communities,” she said.

Sisulu paid tribute to the late Reg September, a longstanding trade unionist, saying “we remember him today too.”

“Nelson Mandela was a shining star in a cohort of amazing leaders,” said Sisulu.

“John Carlin once said that if Walter Sisulu was the producer, Nelson Mandela was the star. I would like to add that Oliver Tambo was the director. Mandela was a charistmatic character and Sisulu was very engaging, but Tambo spent over 30 years in exile, holding meeting after meeting with leaders from across the world – some of which saw the ANC as a terrorist organisation. There are high points in history that speak to Mandela’s achievements, but Tambo did the work behind the scenes, and Madiba stood on his shoulders.”

Sisulu acknowledged Jonas Gwangwa, Director of Amandla, the cultural musical ensemble of the ANC that helped raise funds globally for the political struggle, and Biyata and Alan Lipmann, a woman who tells women’s stories though film and writing and an architect who helps raise South Africa’s international profile in the field of architecture.

“I would like to acknowledge longstanding veterans Mam Ruth Mamphati, Mam Agnes Msimang, Rica Hodgson (secretary to Tata Sisulu), as well as Naledi Pandor and Rev Jesse Jackson, who has a long history with Madiba,”she said.

“Madiba died on 5 December, the birthday of Robert Mangaliso Sobukwe,” she added. In remembering him, the Foundation has done very good work and have hosted exhibitions on Sobukwe, Gwangwa and the Sisulus (link to exhibitions).”

Speaking about intergenerational transfer of knowledge, Sisulu asked “How do we package the struggle history in ways the youth can understand? We have to find ways to reach the youth, a generation of people becoming alienated from politics.”

Speaking about In our lifetime, a biography of Walter and Albertina Sisulu, Sisulu reminisced about Mandela’s meticulous attention to detail: “I delivered the manuscript to the Foundation and was called back to collect it after one week. Initially I was disappointed that Madiba hadn’t made any comments about my written achievement, but I later realised that the suggestions he added, the queries to verify historical facts, showed just how meticulous he was and how much he cared. He even wrote the foreword to my book.”

“As we go forward we keep hope for another Madiba, but unfortunately those come once in an age. Let’s get our schools sorted out and together help foster a new generation, one that may contain a young Madiba.”

Naledi Pandor, Minister of Home Affairs, on former President Nelson Mandela
“Everybody has said what should have been said about former President Mandela. They have spoken about the man, his character and the work he did after leaving government. But very little has been said about the work he did as President and leader of the ANC in parliament from 1994 to 1999.

“Let’s not forget that Mandela lead the first government of a democratic South Africa and laid the foundation of policy and the rule of law,” she said.

“The cruelty of apartheid, its core fault, was the arbitrary exercise of power against the people – a people who didn't have a legal framework to defend themselves. By coming into parliament as the leader of a country that sought to enshrine democracy, Mandela lead the way in creating that first instrument that removed arbitrariness – the advent and adoption of a constitution.

As we remember President Mandela, let’s not undermine the advances that have been, said Pandor.

“His legacy is one of education, housing and healthcare for all. We cannot ignore the fundamental alteration of the legal, socio-economic, political and other landscape of rights that he gave life to. If we neglect to speak of these things, then we speak of half the man.”

US Ambassador Patrick Gaspard gives expression to US/SA partnership
“It is not enough to archive history, young people are interested in transforming history,” he said.

This is an interrogation of our own era and we need to take up Mandela’s challenge of becoming better people, he urged.

“I recall when I was 19-years-old I joined Rev Jackson at the gates of our capital in protest. We were trying to get the US to pass the sanctions bill. Rev Jackson told us that real power is the moral power that resides in places such as Robben Island. He reminded us that tears and sweat are made of the exact same substance, but produce different results. Tears might get you sympathy, but sweat will bring you change.

“The US government is committed to sweating with you in giving every child an education.”

Message from the Mandela family: Kweku and Ndaba Mandela
“We thank everyone who is here tonight, those who have been visiting the Centre and other places of vigil for uTata. It means the world to all of us,” said Kweku Mandela.

Ndaba Mandela offered a message of hope to young South Africans: “Continue to dream and believe in your dreams. Madiba fought for a free society – so if you want to be an astronaut, or an F1 driver – believe that you can do it!”