Nelson Mandela: My Inspiration

In a recent post on the subject of my bucket list, I mentioned that one of my heroes is Nelson Mandela and I also said that it might take a book to explain why. However, in this post, I thought I would make a start.

Last Christmas, I remember walking through the town centre here in Worcester when I came across a male voice choir which was singing the South African National Anthem. It is one of the most inspiring anthems that I have ever heard and although the local choir did a good job with it, my absolute favourite version is the one in this video by the Soweto Gospel Choir.

Xhosa
Nkosi sikelel’ iAfrika
Maluphakanyisw’ uphondo lwayo

Zulu
Yizwa imithandazo yethu,
Nkosi sikelela, thina lusapho lwayo.

Sotho
Morena boloka setjhaba sa heso,
O fedise dintwa le matshwenyeho,
O se boloke, O se boloke setjhaba sa heso,
Setjhaba sa, South Afrika — South Afrika

Afrikaans
Uit die blou van onse hemel,
Uit die diepte van ons see,
Oor ons ewige gebergtes,
Waar die kranse antwoord gee.

English
Sounds the call to come together,
And united we shall stand,
Let us live and strive for freedom
In South Africa our land.

When I was growing up in the sixties, I remember seeing, on TV news, the many riots in the Soweto townships in which the black majority railed against the apartheid government of the day. Eventually, the protests resulted in the imprisonment of black leaders including Nelson Mandela. I can remember various international sanctions against the country, including the sports and entertainment bans that at the time, all seemed futile.

But somehow, a miracle happened in that country as the tide eventually turned and oppressed people together with the ruling white class rallied around the figurehead of Nelson Mandela following release from his long period of imprisonment. With no trace of bitterness in his heart, he inspired not only the nation but the world, and a new South Africa was born. For some reason, I cannot listen to this anthem without it bringing a tear to my eye. It is a wonderful emblem of the new rainbow nation and I believe it reflects something of those trials, tribulations and ultimate triumph of right over wrong.

When The Springboks won the Rugby World Cup in 1995, there was a moment that I will always remember when Nelson Mandela wearing a Springbok shirt turned to reveal the number of the white captain François Pienaar on his back. There was no possible way that the All Blacks were going to win that day, despite the presence of the apparently unstoppable Jonah Lomu, when the whole world (except New Zealand, naturally) was willing the Springboks to succeed.

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