Former president Nelson Mandela has complained about South Africans who want to quickly amass wealth instead of helping others develop.
It was at the level of ”what we once referred to as the RDP of the soul” that the nation seemed to ”crucially fallen behind” since the attainment of democracy, he said on Friday.
Mandela told a packed lecture hall at the University of Cape Town: ”The values of human solidarity that once drove our quest for a humane society seem to have been replaced, or are threatened, by crass materialism and pursuit of social goals of instant gratifications.”
He said one of the challenges facing the country was to instill in the consciousness of the people a sense of solidarity, ”of being in the world for one another”.
Mandela, the first democratically elected president of South Africa in 1994, was delivering the fifth annual Steve Biko Memorial Lecture.
The theme of the lecture was ”Celebrating 10 years of democracy — remembering (Oliver) Tambo”, the former president of the African National Congress.
Before Biko died in police custody in September 1977, he was involved in unity talks with liberation movements in South Africa, and was scheduled to meet Tambo, who led the ANC in exile.
Addressing guests which included Cabinet ministers, members of Parliament, struggle heroes, and members of the Biko and Tambo family, Mandela said Biko and Tambo had been remarkable men.
”I urge you to never forget the OR (Tambo) and Steve Biko families,” he said. – Sapa