Nelson Mandela Foundation launches birthday book

The Nelson Mandela Foundation announced on Wednesday that it would launch a book in tribute to Madiba in his 90th year.

The birthday book would include rare archival material assembled by the foundation’s centre of memory and dialogue and would serve as a vehicle to raise funds for the ongoing work of the centre.

Achmat Dangor, CEO of the foundation, said the 240-page coffee-table book would commemorate Mandela’s contribution to South African history and his dedication to global democracy.

“This is a tribute to a man who is a world icon and evokes strong emotional love and support across the globe. The birthday book will acknowledge his life while providing a platform to raise funds for the foundation, to ensure his legacy lives on,” he said.

The foundation hoped that the book would raise about R200-million.

“This is a great opportunity for corporate SA to be involved and send their goodwill wishes to Mandela and ensure that his heritage is kept alive for future generations,” said Dangor.

The book will be publishing by Maskew Miller Longman.

An example of the material to be included in the book is a photograph found by Souh African historian Professor Charles van Onselen while browsing in a Johannesburg bookshop.

Van Onselen came across a copy of Eddie Roux’s book Time Longer Than Rope: The Black Man’s Struggle for Freedom in South Africa, which had been banned in South Africa.

At home he opened the book and out dropped a picture of two young men—one of whom he immediately recognised as Nelson Mandela.