Imtiaz Sooliman – on Madiba
AI: Summary ©
The host discusses the legacy of the former President, Mandela, and how his compassion for others has led to a reconciliation between humans. He also talks about the former President's humility and compassion for others, and the importance of his humility in bringing about change. The host also mentions the former President's visit to Peter mattersburg and his history of getting into politics.
AI: Summary ©
Of gift of the givers. Dr silayman, thank you very much
indeed for joining us. We're in the middle of this 10 days of
mourning period. It is when the body is lying in states, in
Pretoria and tswane, and we've seen people coming in and viewing
the late Mandela. How does that make you feel seeing the body
lying in states now?
It's very dignified. Mandela was dignified when he was alive, and
is dignified even in passing. I don't think anyone has had a
funeral like this in the history of the world, you know, in the
history of this country, in this continent especially, and the
world leaders from great countries have been here to honor and
acknowledge the men. And that kind of acknowledgement doesn't come
cheaply. It comes because your spirit, your character, your
personality, excluded something in your lifetime, and people have
shown have acknowledged that spirit by being here and for the
whole world media to stop all news items and focus on one person
tells you a lot about the character of that personality.
It's almost like a saintly figure, but he hated being called a saint.
But it was hard not to idolize a man with such virtue. How much of
an inspiration when you do your work around the world, how much of
an inspiration was he to you? We can't avoid thinking of him,
because in every country that we go to, the more we get off the
plane. For example, you know, Saudi Arabia. Of course, we
haven't done any work there. But when early, in early years, when
you got off the plane, and you're telling me from South Africa, they
look confused the moment you say Mandela, the bells gone, they
understand where you're coming from, in terms of disasters, every
country we go to, the first question they ask us, How is
Mandela, even when he was well, how is Mandela? So in every area
that you go to, his name is worldwide. When you come from
South Africa, that's the first question they ask you. How is
Mandela? Have you come from Mandela's country?
It prompted you to write a tribute to Mandela. What is the theme of
this tribute, reconciliation, a man who can be incarcerated for 27
years, losing the best part of his youth, losing those that are close
to him, colleagues, family and friends, being isolated from his
family, from his wives and his children because of what had
happened to him, and to come out with no malice after 27 years. I
mean, that's an amazing feat. And to come out and then to ft what
for the world wife, to allow, to permit the playing of the stem in
the new anthem, because the stem was regarded as the anthem of the
oppressor, to allow that, I'm sure, to the disagreement of many
of his colleagues and many of the people in the country, by that
short class, it showed leadership. He had an aim, because we keep
going backwards by finding out all issues, it won't serve the
country. He realized both steps had to be taken to bring about
reconciliation, and part of reconciliation is to accommodate
other people. That's the way you build a country. And then, of
course, I think the greatest moment to me was the day he walked
into the rugby final wedding, the number six jersey. And what was
remarkable, I mean, only a year later, this man, the whole
country, the media, the textbooks, everybody called the terrorist.
And a year later, as he walked into the ground, of which probably
98% were white people in that stadium, and they were shouting,
Nelson, Nelson, Nelson. How do you achieve that in one year? It's
almost an impossibility. It was a tremendous time in history, isn't
it? And just going forward, would you put, obviously, reconciliation
by consensus as one of his legacies? But would you put it
down at that only? Or these are the facets of his legacy? No, his
intense compassion for those you know, the enemy and colleagues and
those who are downtrodden. I think what is very striking, I met him
for the first time in Peter mattersburg on the 25th of april
1997 he was granted the freedom of the city. And what amazed me that
this leader, with the whole world had now recognized, could take the
time to talk to ordinary people. You know, he, you say, you look up
at the leader. I can't say he was looking down at you. He was
looking up to us, and we were smaller in stature, in size and in
character to this man, but there was such humility that it was
making you melt at that moment when you met him and you felt
dwarfed by this stature. But truly, the thing that strikes you
most is the humility of this man and his compassion for the others
and his respect for other people and how he dignifies other human
beings. In spite of who he is, he was very humble. He, as President
Obama, did say, he had a certain element of mischief as well. Do
you remember any fond memories in terms of off camera, where you
guys met and had a had a bit of a chat? It was only that time, you
know, when I met him in Peter mattersburg, it was, it was always
serious. And I have a policy, you know, when heads of state,
although I had a chance to meet many of them, you know, they're
busy and you don't want to intervene and, you know, and
interrupt when they have such a busy schedule. So I had to add one
meeting that I met him on in Peter mattersburg, to me, that was a
great meeting. And I mean.
To me, his personality, even without speaking, said a lot.
There you go. Dr MJ Suleiman is from the gift of the givers, just
telling us a bit about the former, late, great statesman. Dr Nelson
Mandela. Back to Studio. You.