Nelson Mandela
latest news & developments
The shirt that unbuttoned freedom
At the opening of Presidential Shirt's new flagship store, actor John Kani and former Constitutional Court judge Albie Sachs reflect on how Nelson Mandela's iconic Madiba shirt…
South Africa's debt to Africa
South Africa's freedom was never a purely South African achievement. The country liberated by African solidarity should not allow anger over migration to become an alibi for…
Nelson Mandela did not sell out
It was about two years ago that I discovered the name of one Gibson Makanda, apparently a historical figure of profound consequence the majority of South Africans do not know…
The red S-Class: How Madiba’s hand-built Mercedes proves that love is still our finest engineering
Step into the Apartheid Museum and discover the powerful story of Nelson Mandela's Signal Red Mercedes-Benz 500SE, a car hand-built by workers as a monument to gratitude and a…
Madiba a role model to emulate
Nearly 13 years after his death, Nelson Mandela remains the benchmark for servant leadership. This article explores the challenges faced by subsequent South African leaders in…
Mandela’s legacy does not exonerate our generation
South Africa grapples with economic hardship and failing infrastructure, leading some to question Nelson Mandela's legacy. This article delves into the complexities of his…
Madiba, the quintessential public servant
This article reflects on Nelson Mandela's profound legacy, not just as a global icon, but as the quintessential public servant. It explores his understanding of leadership as…
The long walk to freedom is not over
On Mandela Day, the debate over Nelson Mandela's legacy as a saint or a sellout continues. This article, based on Madiba's own admissions and personal interactions, argues he was…
Madiba choreographed a new jive
In an era of disillusionment with post-apartheid governance, some voices question whether the father of our democracy compromised too much. Did he sell out the promise of radical…
The Mandela I knew
Witnessing a football match in Mexico, the author is overcome with emotion, recalling the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the profound sense of unity it fostered. This…
Cyril Ramaphosa: waiting for the birth of that constitution
As the world awaited South Africa's new constitution, a last-minute scramble unfolded behind closed doors. With red carpets laid and choirs ready, the nation held its breath as…
Let Mandela speak for himself
More than a decade after his passing, a new documentary, 'Troublemaker: The Story Behind the Mandela Tapes', offers a fresh perspective on Nelson Mandela. Built around over 70…
Mandela’s legacy deserves neither blind veneration nor reckless denigration
Every July, millions honour Nelson Mandela. This article defends his legacy against misrepresentation, arguing that criticisms from 'pseudo-revolutionaries' are historically…
D-Day for Ramaphosa
The case in the apex court concerns an application by the EFF and the ATM after parliament rejected a Section 89 panel report that found a prima facie case requiring further…
Too many questions, just enough truth: Justice as a lifelong pursuit
The thread that held the conversation together was clear from the beginning: justice. Not the abstract kind confined to courtrooms and legal textbooks but justice as a lived…