He said, “I am your servant....It is not the individuals that matter, but the collective...This is a time to heal the old wounds and build a new South Africa.” Politics is an art for seniors. You are incapable of achieving success without getting public support. Mandela was a great artist, he got the crucial support, and he knew how to use it successfully. He earned public support by working and struggling as the people’s servant, and he truly was. He firstly saluted his people when he was released because he knew that no campaign or regime could go further without public support. The truth is, a single man may go fast but without being with a group he won’t go far. “It is our belief that the future of our country can only be determined by a body which is democratically elected on a non-racial basis.” He stated that this was not just his belief but “our belief.” Mandela once said, “But I can rest only for a moment, for with freedom comes responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not yet ended.” Mandela is an immortal icon who can inspire generations with his selfless struggle for human dignity, equality and freedom. As Mr. Zuma said in a statement that “what made Nelson Mandela great was precisely what made him human. We saw in him what we seek in ourselves.” Will what makes us human make us great? No one can be another Mandela, but it is possible that someone can be as great as Mandela. It is still of great meaning that we set Mandela as our icon to spur ourselves on. Everyone needs an ideal for which they are prepared to die. |