Years ago we used to dream that South Africa would be free. The first day of the World Cup in South Africa, and already we see how the nation, no, the continent, no, the world, comes together to celebrate this first on African soil.
The BBC has some beautiful quotes from people celebrating this spectacular event. This one was my favorite: “Madiba made this happen for us…” See also this article about the joy that has spread across the land.
None of this would have happened without the positive example of Nelson Mandela. Thank you, Nelson Mandela!
Stop talking about Mandela like he’s some sort of a god. Mandela was a terrorist and the Marxist ANC that he represented was labelled a terrorist organisation by the US and other countries . The ANC also had links and support from thug states like Iran and Libya. Real credit for ending the apartheid system should go to F.W de Klerk who released Mandela and willingly gave up his power to the ANC.
In the meantime, S Africa under the ANC has gone backwards. Blacks are worse off and over a million whites have left the country and over a thousand white farmers have been murdered by blacks. S Africa is now in danger of becoming another failed African state, just like Mugabe’s Zimbabwe. God help South Africa.
Peter – you obviously left SA because u must have done something wrong. Perhaps you or your family profited from apartheid?
The US did label Mandela a terrorist – this was a Republican thing, and still is. Bill Clinton met with Mandela and honored him for his struggle. The US, in case you have forgotten, has been acting like a terrorist state under Bush and Cheney. It took Obama to end our stupidity.
SA did something no country did before – instead of a civil war, it established a “truth and reconciliation commission” to bring both sides to justice.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Truth_and_Reconciliation_Commission_%28South_Africa%29
Mandela even divorced Winnie (his wife) because she did in fact confess to terrorist activities.
Mugabe is a tyrant, no doubt. And yes there are always political elements that want to exploit racist fears to divide people. But the fact that the World Cup is bringing people together defeats your argument. The government of SA is trying, not running away from the issue. Finally, there is a true democracy in SA – we’ve seen three presidents. Mugabe is still sitting on his throne – trapped in his bitter psychodrama, as are you.
Cheers!
Peter, I have no idea who gives you your talking points. But they have no reality, none whatsoever. The only reason FW de Clerk and PW Botha decided to end apartheid was because there would have been intractable civil war. The writing was clear- they were on the losing side. It was not magnanimity but saving their hides that saw them renounce apartheid courtesy the ANC. You write your comment a day after the commemoration of the Soweto Uprisings – I think you should look it up. I would like to see you live in a Bantustan for a day.
See, the problem was Afrikaaners always had it too good. They believed as an hegemonic minority that the country was for them, forgetting conveniently that there were millions of others less fortunate because of their skin- the “blecks” and “the coloureds”. The present reality is very different. So maybe for you, SA is a failed African state because you cannot lord it over like you did in the past. And what has it been – less than two decades? The present neo-liberalism in SA is colourblind. Avail your opportunities like the rest of them.