As we celebrate the tenth anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s death this year, a commemorative exhibition entitled “Mandela is Dead” was launched on Friday in Johannesburg by the Mandela Foundation.
Throughout the world, Nelson Mandela remains an icon, famous for ending the apartheid system in South Africa in the 1990s.
But today, some South Africans are questioning his legacy and wondering whether it is time to move on from nostalgia.
“Mandela is dead”
Amid the country’s current economic and political difficulties, many people are wondering “what would ‘Madiba’ [Mandela] think if he were still with us?”
To answer this question and the different opinions on the leader’s legacy, the Mandela Foundation exhibition invites South Africans to express their thoughts through interactive devices.
“Every country with such an iconic figure suffers for many years after that figure’s passing, with deep nostalgia and attachment to that symbol,” says Verne Harris, the late president’s archivist and acting chair of the Mandela Foundation.
“The idea of this exhibition is that it can become a destructive energy. Maybe we should let it go and look for new models.”
The exhibition highlights “the weight of the loss we suffered” with the death of Mandela.
Divergent opinions
“We encourage debate,” says Foundation spokesperson Morongwa Phukubye. “We are debating his legacy. His legacy is not that of a saint.”
Discussion boards were set up at two universities to collect feedback. Some of the responses are stunning and highlight the divisions around Mandela’s legacy.
Left-wing parties and many young people say the late leader should have done more to eliminate the effects of nearly five decades of institutionalized discrimination by the apartheid white minority that tore society apart.
“His legacy has only kept the poor poor and the rich rich, freedom is not free,” writes someone at the University of Braamfontein in Johannesburg.
“If everyone does not strive to realize the dream of a truly free and progressive South Africa, then that dream dies with Mandela,” adds another comment.
“So many of his dreams remain unfulfilled because of his comrades,” says a third.
The future of South Africa
Verne Harris reports that Foundation representatives who visit South African townships and schools encounter varied reactions.
“We hear stories like, ‘Mandela was a traitor and that’s why we’re in so much trouble today,'” says Verne Harris. Or, “Madiba was a great leader and it’s a shame his successors were so mediocre.”
As the country approaches the 30th anniversary of the end of apartheid, Harris says the most important lesson he learned from Mandela is that “hope is not enough.”
“We need a deep conviction that even if the future is worse than the present, we must continue to fight, continue to do what must be done. So we resist. This is what motivates me a lot .”
In summary, the “Mandela is Dead” exhibition looks to the future and invites South Africans to reflect on Mandela’s legacy and seek new models for building their country. This sparks a lively debate, with divergent opinions on the leader’s actions and the challenges facing South Africa today. While honoring Mandela’s memory, it is essential to recognize that there is still work to be done to fully realize his dreams and aspirations for the country.