21 years after his inauguration, would Nelson Mandela be proud of the South Africa he fought for?

monjola sotubo

May 10, 2015 6:54 PM

Mandela became South Africa’s first black President on May 10, 1994, after spending 27 years in jail due to his anti-apartheid struggle.

Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as South Africa’s President on May 10, 1994, 21 years ago.

Mandela became the country’s first black President after spending 27 years in jail due to his anti-apartheid struggle.

While giving his inaugural speech, Mandela said:

“Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another and suffer the indignity of being the skunk of the world. Let freedom reign.”

Unfortunately, South Africa has again become a symbol of oppression and this time in a way that Mandela couldn’t have imagined.

In April 2015, black South Africans turned against fellow blacks from other countries after blaming them for scarcity of employment and a rise in crime.

Nigerians, Mozambicans and Zimbabweans were forced to flee from their own brothers and seek refuge in police stations and various other shelters.

Foreigners were locked in containers which were later set ablaze and Mozambican, Emmanuel Sithole was stabbed in the street in Alexandra Township on April 18.

By the time the smoke from the violence had cleared, seven people, apart from Sithole, had lost their lives.

The xenophobic attacks were blamed on Zulu King, Goodwill Zwelithini who was said to have told foreigners to go back to their countries in a much-publicized speech.

For the weeks that the violence persisted, South Africa became the skunk of the world again.

The country was criticized by Zimbabwean President, Robert Mugabe and Nigerian lawmakers threatened to frustrate South African interests in the country.

For that brief period of time when blacks unleashed terror on fellow blacks, Mandela’s 27-year sacrifice was taken in vain.

Mandela fought to keep whites from oppressing blacks, little did he know that blacks would also begin to oppress each other.

South Africa is the most developed nation in Africa and as such it’s only natural for other Africans to seek opportunities within its walls.

South Africa is a leader, however, just like former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo said, if it’s not ready to accommodate other Africans, then it doesn’t deserve its leadership position.

The problem of xenophobia in SA must be dealt with once and for all, because Mandela didn’t just fight for the freedom of South Africans, he fought for the right of every African to be free.

As the late Madiba said in his inaugural address, “Let freedom reign.”

monjola sotubo