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What's the issue?

What's the issue?

Author: Tomas Yoko
Date: 2013-12-13
Writing a comedy piece about death is much like starting a sexual relationship with a fire. The passing of our most prolific leader since forever came as a shock despite having prepared for the moment. 

Nelson Mandela was an inspiration to everyone and a driving force behind the miracle that we achieved with the removal of the oppressive racist regime and the instatement of a new democratically elected government. 

The passing of Madiba is a monumental event, one that has reached across the world and touched the lives of billions of people. But I must bring you back to the fact that we produced the miracle. Each and every South African played their part in making the miracle of the rainbow nation a reality. Sure Mandela showed us the way, his display of immense forgiveness and incredible humanity inspired the majority to reach the great heights we all reached together. Sure some of us held onto our old ideals and did not buy into the new dispensation, but we needed them to balance the momentum. We needed the detractors to show us how not to be. 

If ever there was a leader, we saw it in Nelson Mandela. Now I pray fervently that we continue to forge the path of most resistance, the path seldom travelled, the path we all know we should be taking but that we have been trained and conditioned in opposition. We need to embrace the example Madiba gave us and carry it into the future. One man achieved so much and now one man can destroy it all. Leadership is a position demanding of virtue, and if it is devoid of virtue, then those who are led will go astray. 

News of Zuma being booed at Nelson Mandela's memorial service sent shivers through my spine. News of Mac Maharaj dismissing it as a non-event sent those same shivers through my shinbone. Even in his passing Madiba shows us the light. 

We cannot look to Tata for guidance anymore, now it is our time to look inwards, to invoke the forgiveness he showed us, to follow the path he set out for us as a nation. Maybe now we can look at our Black brothers, our White brothers, our Indian and coloured brothers and sisters, and invoke the forgiveness that Mandela has taught us. 

Maybe, just maybe if we do this then the white genocide will come to an end. The killing of white farmers will slow and eventually stop. Maybe the anger and resentment we have as a nation will subside and we will truly be the nation that Nelson Mandela gave his life to for us to become. 

The inspiration is there, it is ours to use, ours to take full advantage of, however I feel we still need a great leader to show us the way.