You are here: Home > Opinion > Columnists

Mandela for all seasons

By Tim Collard: 0 Comment(s)Print E-mail China.org.cn, July 19, 2013

Adjust font size:

A child sings Happy Birthday to former President Nelson Mandela at a township school in Atteridgevile near Pretoria, July 18, 2013. Anti-apartheid hero Mandela is "steadily improving", South Africa's government said on Thursday as the former president celebrated his 95th birthday in hospital amid tributes from around the country and the world. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Mandela knew that, sooner or later, circumstances would change in South Africa, as the all-white leadership gradually realized that their system had become unsustainable. Change would have to be contemplated and the opposition would have to be engaged with. The only conceivable counterpart was Mandela, who by his courage and dignity had retained the full support of the majority population. Thus he was freed in February 1990 and his attitude towards his lifelong enemies astonished the world. He allowed no rancor or bitterness to get in the way of negotiations for a settlement acceptable to all South Africans; and thus, though feelings ran high on all sides, the transition took place in a remarkably generous spirit. Even when the first democratic election in 1994 was threatened by conflicts between Mandela's ANC and the Zulu Inkatha movement, Mandela ensured that peace was made and the elections could take place without violence. He was rewarded by a huge popular mandate as South Africa's first black President.

Sadly South Africa has not been free of the violence and corruption which afflicts many developing countries in their early stages. But this cannot be blamed on Mandela, who always stood for reconciliation, fairness and the discipline which he and his comrades had practiced so effectively in prison on Robben Island. The only problem with Nelson Mandela is that there is only one of him, and South Africa would need a whole army of Mandelas.

Mandela was fully conscious of the outside world's efforts in keeping up pressure for change in his home country, and on becoming President never forgot his friends, very much including China. With the transition to non-racial democracy came the establishment of diplomatic relations with the PRC, and President Mandela made sure not to let his presidential term end without paying a visit to China. This laid the foundations for the genuinely productive friendship which now exists between China and South Africa; as members of the BRICS group, both countries stand in the forefront of those successful developing countries now making a bid for a seat at the global economy's top table.

I particularly remember a press conference given by Mandela in Beijing in 1999. Such was the respect in which he is held, in China as elsewhere, that the then 81-year-old was even able to make a mistake in referring to the status of Taiwan during his visit – usually a serious incident – and perhaps the sort of gaffe which you have to be Nelson Mandela to get away with!

It is splendid to see such a towering figure, one of the 20th century's greatest statesmen, living peacefully into extreme old age with honor and universal respect. The extreme agitation showed by thousands of South Africans at his current illness shows just how difficult it will be for them to contemplate life without him, or indeed to imagine what South Africa might be now had he never existed. Few people have quite such an effect on the destiny of their nation and the world. We can only wish Nelson Mandela a gentle and peaceful evening of his life.

The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/timcollard.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn

Previous 1 2