While there was much for South Africans to celebrate‚ a long road still lay ahead on the journey to freedom and dignity for all‚ Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla said on Wednesday.
Speaking outside South Africa House in London on the occasion of the 22nd anniversary of democracy in South Africa‚ he recalled the words of his famous grandfather on the country’s first Freedom Day holiday: “We have learnt over the First Freedom Year that there is no short-cut to making South Africa the country of our dreams.”
Chief Mandla Mandela‚ a Member of Parliament‚ said the country faced many vexing challenges‚ but that no number of challenges could overcome the power of the desire to make South Africa truly great.
“We have a collective responsibility to the legacy of our mothers and fathers‚ and to the generations to come‚ to keep the dream alive.
“This we can only do‚ in the spirit of Freedom Day‚ by working together in all our diversity and committing to tackle the problems that our nation faces head on‚” he stated.
He added that Freedom Day was a reminder that the three-fold task of national reconciliation‚ nation building and social cohesion that the nation had committed to in 1994 remained a work in progress.
He urged South Africans to recommit themselves to the eradication of poverty in the country‚ the African continent and the world‚ once again repeating the words of his grandfather that while poverty persisted‚ there could be no true freedom.
“Today‚ as I stand in front of South Africa House in London and celebrate the long walk to freedom‚ I stand proud. Our country‚ that was the pariah of the world‚ has reclaimed its our space in the community of nations.
“Over the past 22 years our country has accomplished many profound achievements. Our example of peaceful change has been emulated by many other freedom loving nations in the resolution of their own conflicts and social challenges.”
South Africa was going through a period of immense challenges. Some of the challenges were real‚ and others were the product of pre-election posturing as the country approached its fifth democratic local government elections‚ Mandla Mandela said.
Poverty is real‚ inequality is real and the slow pace of transformation in our economy is real. As South Africans we run an immense risk of undermining our hard-earned democracy if we postpone addressing these issues collectively‚” he cautioned.
“Freedom Day reminds us that our greatness lies in confronting these issues for our collective survival and prosperity. Let us rise to the call that my grandfather made when he stood here and said: ‘Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom. Of course the task will not be easy. But not to do this would be a crime against humanity‚ against which I ask all humanity now to rise up’.”
Much to celebrate‚ but still long road on journey to freedom‚ Mandela’s grandson says
While there was much for South Africans to celebrate‚ a long road still lay ahead on the journey to freedom and dignity for all‚ Nelson Mandela’s grandson Mandla said on Wednesday.
Speaking outside South Africa House in London on the occasion of the 22nd anniversary of democracy in South Africa‚ he recalled the words of his famous grandfather on the country’s first Freedom Day holiday: “We have learnt over the First Freedom Year that there is no short-cut to making South Africa the country of our dreams.”
Chief Mandla Mandela‚ a Member of Parliament‚ said the country faced many vexing challenges‚ but that no number of challenges could overcome the power of the desire to make South Africa truly great.
“We have a collective responsibility to the legacy of our mothers and fathers‚ and to the generations to come‚ to keep the dream alive.
“This we can only do‚ in the spirit of Freedom Day‚ by working together in all our diversity and committing to tackle the problems that our nation faces head on‚” he stated.
He added that Freedom Day was a reminder that the three-fold task of national reconciliation‚ nation building and social cohesion that the nation had committed to in 1994 remained a work in progress.
He urged South Africans to recommit themselves to the eradication of poverty in the country‚ the African continent and the world‚ once again repeating the words of his grandfather that while poverty persisted‚ there could be no true freedom.
“Today‚ as I stand in front of South Africa House in London and celebrate the long walk to freedom‚ I stand proud. Our country‚ that was the pariah of the world‚ has reclaimed its our space in the community of nations.
“Over the past 22 years our country has accomplished many profound achievements. Our example of peaceful change has been emulated by many other freedom loving nations in the resolution of their own conflicts and social challenges.”
South Africa was going through a period of immense challenges. Some of the challenges were real‚ and others were the product of pre-election posturing as the country approached its fifth democratic local government elections‚ Mandla Mandela said.
Poverty is real‚ inequality is real and the slow pace of transformation in our economy is real. As South Africans we run an immense risk of undermining our hard-earned democracy if we postpone addressing these issues collectively‚” he cautioned.
“Freedom Day reminds us that our greatness lies in confronting these issues for our collective survival and prosperity. Let us rise to the call that my grandfather made when he stood here and said: ‘Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom. Of course the task will not be easy. But not to do this would be a crime against humanity‚ against which I ask all humanity now to rise up’.”
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