MADIBA LAID FOUNDATION FOR US TO FOLLOW

by Selinda Phenyo
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Nelson Mandela

By Premier Maqueen Letsoha-Mathae

We celebrate this year’s International Nelson Mandela Day on the back of gruelling general elections.

The people of the Free State have once again given the organisation that I belong to the mandate to lead this province. We accept this mandate with a great deal of humility and grace. Our commitment to the people of the Free State province is that we will work very hard to bring change to the province.

On 10 May 1994, President Mandela was sworn in as the first democratically elected president of South Africa. Thirty years ago, under his stellar leadership, President Mandela took the reins and led the country. After many years of internal turmoil, a new country was born and Madiba guided her on her first few years.

He managed to bring two warring groupings to embrace and work together for the common good of the country. We find it amusing that pseudo militants who have romanticised conflict, use every opportunity to bash Madiba for opting for peace.

To them, more conflict and more shedding of blood would have been the better option. Most were not even born yet, hence they imagine war as some beautiful event in which they emerge victorious and are welcomed back to society as heroes by throngs of adoring supporters.

It is not like that. War is destructive and nothing good would have come out of prolonging what was already a taxing battle between South Africans. Madiba and his collective knew this and hence the decisions to opt for a peace.

As we celebrate 30 years of our freedom and indeed Nelson Mandela’s rich legacy, it is important for us, as South Africans to reflect on the democratic journey that we have travelled thus far, and also seek ways to strengthen our hard-won democracy.

As we celebrate the birth of our icon, who would have turned 106 today, we take cognisance of what he stood for. President Mandela dedicated his life to the realisation of a just and equal society. His indomitable spirit, despite heavily stacked odds, would simply not give in. For every object placed on his path, including decades behind bars, Madiba would find the strength to keep going. And he kept going. He embarked on a long walk to freedom.

What is incredible and admirable is that President Mandela faced much more difficult obstacles which could have led to death even. The lesson to take from this extra ordinary leader is that we must keep going, no matter the circumstances, for the good of humanity.

It would be very selfish of us to give in when the going gets tough, because Mandela was subjected to far worse conditions. It is precisely for that reason that since assuming our responsibilities, we have traversed our province, visiting different healthcare facilities.

In our quest to make public institutions user friendly, we may have taken a hard stance against officials, but it was necessary. For a long time, the poorest amongst us who rely on public health facilities, have been complaining about the state of our hospitals. The have also expressed disappointment, explicitly so, at the conduct of some workers at those institutions.

The sheer disregard for the poor, desperately in need of medical attention by those tasked with ensuring provision of medical care, is quite frankly, unacceptable. Our visit to Bongani hospital in Welkom in particular, brought to the fore the absolute disregard that our people are treated with.

We wish to assure our people that, that type of conduct will not be tolerated. We demand and insist on respect for the people and the implementation of Batho Pele principles.

On the same token, we wish to express our gratitude to health care facilities who provide quality health care to our people.

Those are the people who truly understand what being a public servant means. We thank them for their dedication and long may it continue.

Nelson Mandela walked a long and difficult journey to free South Africans from the indignity of oppression. He withstood humiliation in a quest to see his dream become a reality. Having achieved what we have, it cannot be those entrusted with leading the nation who then reverse all those gains.

It is quite telling that President Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver the Opening of Parliament Address today, 18 July 2024, on what would have been Madiba’s 106 birthday.

The International Nelson Mandela Day this year will be celebrated under the theme: “It is still in our hands to combat poverty and inequity.”

The Free State Provincial Government, which I have the honour of leading, will ensure that we do right by our people. Government officials will do what is expected of them to bring visible changes to the Free State province. It is not much to ask for. It is what they have signed up for.

Nelson Mandela deserves that, and more.

I thank you.

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