A Tribute to Nelson Mandela
By: Mendel Trapedo
In May of 1994 the newspaper headlines in South Africa read “From Prisoner to President,” or some variation of this theme. Although the stage may have been set for a great Hollywood epic, the reality of the political climate at the time was far from picture perfect. Tens of thousands of South Africans had immigrated fearing their country would follow the same tragic path of civil war and unrest like many of its African neighbours. Following his release from Robben Island in 1990, Nelson Mandela faced the daunting task of negotiating the end to an Apartheid regime that once denounced him as a Marxist terrorist. The early 90’s were tumultuous times. The massacre in the Boipotang township that resulted in the death of forty residents, the murder of Chris Hani, the leader of the Communist Party, and discord over an interim constitution made the belief in a free and democratic South Africa seem like a naïve fantasy. Yet Nelson Mandela was never one to be discouraged by inconveniences like reality. His unwavering resolve to achieve his dream of dignity and equality for all South Africans defied the logic and sentimentality of his time. Like all new democracies, South Africa had its obstacles. Whenever fear or doubt began to set in, Mandela would address the nation in his distinctive calming voice and we would feel confident that the rainbow nation would indeed enjoy a brighter tomorrow.
The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the first major sporting event to take place in South Africa following the end of Apartheid. At the time, Nelson Mandela had been president for barely a year and called upon all South Africans to rally behind the South African rugby team known as the “Springboks.” He risked alienating black supporters, for whom rugby— and the Springbok jersey in particular—had long been a painful symbol of white supremacy. On the day of the final, June 24, 1995, President Mandela walked out onto the Ellis Park field in Johannesburg wearing that very jersey. This “fashion statement” spoke louder than any public address could have. Much has been written about the euphoria that this gesture created. The chanting of “Nelson, Nelson” reverberated throughout the stadium, inspiring the Springboks to victory over New Zealand’s favoured mighty “All Blacks.”
This was one of the best days of my life. The thing is, I wasn’t even at the stadium. I didn’t see the President don the famous green and gold jersey. I didn’t hear the chanting and I certainly didn’t watch Joel Stransky’s extra-time drop-kick that etched my beloved Springboks into the history books. I was about six kilometers away on Louis Botha Avenue, a popular thoroughfare in Johannesburg that was originally the main road between central Johannesburg and Pretoria. While President Mandela was giving the Webb Ellis Cup to Springbok captain Francois Pienaar, I witnessed hundreds of fellow South Africans stopping their cars on the side of the road. People were pouring out of their cars and beginning to dance and sing in celebration. I was also shocked to see that other motorists were not aggravated by the disruption in traffic and commotion, but rather, began hooting their horns, pumping their fists, and shouting “amabokke, amabokke” (the African version of the Springbok’s nickname) as an act of camaraderie.
It is not unusual for South African sports fans to get overly excited when our national team wins a sports match (just ask my wife), but until that World Cup the vast majority of black South Africans had no interest whatsoever in the Springboks. At that moment on Louis Botha Avenue, as our national anthem, “Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika (G-d Bless Africa),” rang out in harmony, I truly felt hopeful for the future. Mandela’s bold steps broke the shackles of separation in sports. Although I was cognizant that South Africa still had numerous hurdles to overcome, I believe this event was a catalyst for meaningful change.
One of the most remarkable things about Nelson Mandela was his behaviour and attitude towards white South Africans after being imprisoned for twenty-seven and a half years. President Mandela once told Oprah Winfrey, “[o]ur emotions said the white minority is an enemy. We must never talk to them. But our brain said that if you don’t talk to this man your country will go up in flames, and for many years to come this country will be engulfed in rivers of blood. So we had to reconcile that conflict and our talking to the enemy was the result of the domination of the brain over emotions.” His ability to remain steadfast on the path of forgiveness and reconciliation is extraordinary. I find it even more incredible that one man was able to transmit his vision of a peaceful and just South Africa to many who otherwise might have turned to extreme measures for retribution. President Mandela humbly credits his fortitude to the inmates he exchanged views with while working on the lime quarry in prison. Reflecting on these interactions, Mandela said they “gave you courage to do better than your best.” And that he did.
While every country has some form of president, prime minister, or monarch holding executive office, few can boast of having a true leader. In this respect, South Africa was truly a country of privilege. President Mandela led by example; he followed a credo he announced to the world on April 20, 1964 at the Rivonia Trial: “During my lifetime I have dedicated myself to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal which I hope to live for and to achieve.” Long before that day and for many
years to come, Nelson Mandela will remain a hero to the nation he carried out of the darkness of prejudice and a beacon of hope to the world. The best way to pay tribute to Mandela and ensure that his inspiring legacy endures is to embrace the values he lived by—integrity, honesty, kindness, forgiveness, and courage. May his life inspire all of us to strive to be better than our best.
Mendel Trapedo is a foreign legal consultant in the Real Property & Planning Group in McCarthy Tétrault's Toronto office. He maintains a general commercial real estate practice.
McCarthy Tétrault is a Canadian law firm that delivers integrated business law, litigation services, tax law, real property law, labour and employment law nationally and globally through offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Montréal and Québec City, as well as London, UK.