The Ultimate Conversion

 

The World remembers, celebrates, gives thanks and prepares to honour Nelson Mandela on his last journey back to Soweto. Released from prison in the year I was born, youngsters like me will rely on the writings, memories, anecdotes and analysis of others to understand and appreciate the supreme importance of his conduct, wisdom and achievements during his turbulent and unbelievable life.
 

For me, I know that the Tolpuddle Martyrs were my grandfather’s heroes and that Nelson Mandela was his Superhero. This fact emerged when an Afrikaner boy and a Kenyan girl joined my mum’s class when she was at primary school and they all played together happily. But when her Kenyan friend came around to play, the daily diet dished up on the 6 o’clock news, cataloguing the never ending scenes of violence in South Africa, left her mystified and embarrassed. So her father explained what was happening and the significance of Nelson Mandela’s place in this struggle.

The fact that years later this amazing man walked free, after 27 years in prison and with no malice or bitterness then resumed the task of reconciliation in his troubled country, sounds like make believe. Yet we all know it is true. With his signature smile, wisdom, common touch, genuine personality and reassuring confidence, this super human then went on to achieve what everyone assumed was impossible.

Nelson Mandela was a lawyer and a statesman, born into African royalty, an extremely clever man and some people have written that he skilfully used the Afrikaners’ love of Africa, rugby and their language to smooth the path of integration and enable them to share a ‘new sense of place’ in South Africa.

However, players at the historic World Cup rugby final win against New Zealand at Ellis Park field in June, 1995, are recorded as feeling that Nelson Mandela’s display of happiness and zeal at this defining event, under the new democracy, was genuine. As the other dignitaries clapped, the unselfconscious newly elected President of South Africa got up and he danced. With his faced wreathed in smiles and wearing the Springbok no. 6 shirt, President Mandela jigged his jig on the podium alongside Springbok captain, Francois Pienaar and the Rainbow Nation was born that day. A country changed forever.

"Not in my wildest dreams did I think that Nelson Mandela would pitch up at the final wearing a Springbok on his heart. When he walked into our changing room to say good luck to us, he turned around and my number was on his back. It was just an amazing feeling." Francois Pienaar.

“Sport has the power to change the world, it has the power to inspire, it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does.” President Nelson Mandela.

Nelson Mandela walked across the whitewash, with a warm heart and wisdom and he held out his hands and the world walked with him.