As Nelson Mandela celebrated his 95thbirthday
in hospital, South Africans along with the rest of the world have celebrated
his birthday. Not only is 18 July his birthday,
it is also the day when South Africans are called upon to give 67 minutes of
their time in honour of this great man who gave 67 years of his life to fight
for the freedom of all South Africans from the enslavement of apartheid -most
notably affected by this oppression, were the non-white community of South
Africa. His birthday day is now known International
as Mandela Day.
Prior to 1994, the white community benefitted most favourably from the reigning government policies. Since the ANC government took over, it has made it a priority to right the wrongs of the past with policies such as the Black Empowerment Policy, whereby previously disadvantaged people are given opportunities for advancement in the workplace – an attempt to close the divide of many years of white rule.
Somewhere along the way, the ANC government lost its focus of prioritizing the needs of the poor and the needy and many destitute people were forced to look after themselves with little or no help as the support systems within government were unable to keep up with the growing demands. Those affected, say they find themselves worse off than in previous years.
Government officials elected by the masses have thus
far become known for their empty election promises, which repeat itself every 5
years. Unfortunately, because of a lack of education or due to blind loyalty for
the ruling party, these down trodden communities continue to vote with their
heart. We are trusting that the legacy of Nelson Mandela will not be forgotten,
and that South Africans will free themselves from the emerging oppression of
selfishness, which seems to reign far and wide within politics today.
On Mandela Day, many companies and individuals dedicate 67 minutes of their time to help the less fortunate. Acts of selflessness can be anything – some paint schools, clean streets or make sandwiches. Surprisingly, not everyone is aware of the meaning of Mandela day. Some are not sure why it is 67 minutes; some don’t even know about Mandela day - 18 July is just another day. If you ask a young person what they think of Mandela Day, they will say it is a good idea as we need to give something back to our communities. The more cynic say, come the 19thof July, caring for the needy is all forgotten again and people go on with their lives as before. There is a mentality of “I did my bit on Mandela day”. The question of sincerity is raised when the larger corporates, who support Mandela Day, ensure media coverage advertises their contributions. These corporates can make a real difference to the lives of the less fortunate, by contributing on a regular basis.
Needless to say, Mandela Day should not just be about giving and receiving - those on the receiving end of this day’s spirit of community, should be empowered with skills to improve their plight and those of their neighbour. Mandela Day is a great initiative and definitely a worthy cause – may we remain steadfast in spirit as we grow in desire to dedicate our lives, to make this word a better place for all of US.
