Former US President Barack Obama has made an appeal to all South Africans to follow on Madiba’s foot steps and apply the principle of perseverance and continue enjoy the fruits of a democratic country.
He strongly came against those who continue to critise the legacy of the late former President, Tata Nelson Mandela.
Obama received a warm welcome from about 15000 people at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg during the 16th annual Nelson Mandela Lecture.
President Obama has told the crowd gathered at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg to attend the 16th annual Nelson Mandela lecture – that one of the key lessons from Madiba is that South Africa and the world need to redouble the fight against inequality.
This as South Africa remains one of the most unequal countries in the world – which led to him saying that inequality is often fed by corruption.
Obama says President Cyril Ramaphosa understands the need to address the challenge of inequality directly. Obama told the crowd that wealth disparities are not sustainable.
“I believe in Nelson Mandela’s vision. I believe in a vision shared by Gandhi and King and Abraham Lincoln. I believe in a vision of equality, justice, freedom and multi-racial democracy, built on the premise that all people are created equal.” —@BarackObama at #MandelaLecture pic.twitter.com/pdXn6kTht6
— The Obama Foundation (@ObamaFoundation) July 17, 2018
On the other hand, at the same lecture former First Lady, Graca Machel says the Nelson Mandela Lecture takes her back to the initial days of a democratic South Africa. She says she’s certain that the former statesman, Tata Nelson Mandela is celebrating wherever he is because of the sense of unity displayed by people of the world in remembering his legacy.
She has called on the younger generations to make sure that they continue to preserve his legacy and celebrate him…
“As we celebrate him and honour his contributions to the world, we must remember that while his political party the ANC chose to make him the symbolic face of the struggle and will embrace him as such. He was not acting in singular isolation. He, in fact, regarded himself as an icon of a broader collective leadership …”
And, President Cyril Ramaphosa says that Madiba’s greatest quality was his humanity. He says Mandela ensured under his leadership that the ANC became a global leader in the fight for human rights.
Ramaphosa says Mandela always remained conscious of his human flaws and frailty.
“As we reflect on an extraordinary life, we are abound to acknowledge that the greatest trade of this son of the African soil was really his humanity. He was hailed as a global icon and he is memorialised in many parts of the world. His likeness adorns our national currency. Yet his most enduring accomplishments was to teach us what it means to be human. As South Africans we are proud to say he was one of us”
Barak Obama says it’s time now for Africa and the rest of the world to make sure that more young leaders are developed – which will subsequently see a great future for the world.
Obama told the crowd that one of the key lessons from Madiba is that South Africa and the world need to redouble the fight against inequality.
This as South Africa remains one of the most unequal countries in the world – which led to him saying that inequality is often fed by corruption.
Obama says President Cyril Ramaphosa understands the need to address the challenge of inequality directly. Obama told the crowd that wealth disparities are not sustainable.
