Inkatha Freedom Party leader Mangosuthu Buthelezi paid tribute on Thursday to former president Nelson Mandela for his courage in announcing the death of his son to Aids.
Makgatho Mandela (54) died in a Johannesburg clinic on Thursday. He was Mandela’s eldest child and only surviving son from his first marriage to Evelyn Ntoko Mase, who died some time ago.
In May last year, Buthelezi, who has spoken out against the government’s slow response to the pandemic, announced that his son had been a victim of the disease.
On Thursday, Buthelezi said: ”It was with profound sadness that I heard the sad news that president Mandela’s son, Makgatho, has died. My wife, Irene, and I extend our deepest condolences, love and prayers to Mr Mandela and his family at this sad time.
”I would like to pay tribute to Madiba for his courageous decision to speak out about the cause of his son’s death. I, for one, am not surprised at Madiba’s decision to do so because he has always been not only the father of his children, but also of the entire nation,” Buthelezi said.
”Such courage and selflessness is the mark of the man.
”I believe the moral authority of his action today will do much to tear down the walls of stigma and silence surrounding this disease.
”Mr Mandela has expressed not only his loss, but also that of hundreds of thousands of parents who have lost their children to this dreadful disease and whose story is never heard.
”As I have repeatedly said, and as Madiba so powerfully said today, HIV/Aids is a disease like any other. The only way we can conquer it is by a united approach.
”Irene and I share Madiba’s pain. In our African tradition, we never expect parents to bury their children. I pray that Madiba will derive some comfort from the knowledge that he is in the thoughts and prayers of millions of people who love him in South Africa and across the globe,” said Buthelezi.
On Thursday, the IFP’s secretary general, Musa Zondi, also praised Mandela for announcing that his son died from Aids.
”We praise Dr Nelson Mandela for taking this courageous step of disclosing the cause of his son’s death,” said Zondi in a statement.
”We know it is not an easy decision to make and yet it is the right thing to do to help break the silence on the HIV/Aids pandemic and to remove the negative stigma which shrouds it.
”Dr Nelson Mandela, like Dr Mangosuthu Buthelezi, has exercised responsible and exemplary leadership in a country whose leadership are generally in denial about the pandemic.
”We honour these two great men of our times and pray that the other leaders of our country may emulate their good example and lead the battle in the fight against the HIV/Aids pandemic,” Zondi said. — Sapa
Related articles
Mandela admits son died of Aids
Nelson Mandela’s son dies