South Africa’s fallen hero; Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was remembered and celebrated during today’s moving memorial service held at DUT’s Steve Biko Library Complex, Steve Biko Campus, during which staff, students and members of the public paid tribute to the “giant”.

The memorial service was attended by Right Reverend Rubin Phillip, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Natal, who delivered the message of the day, DUT Council Chairman; Dr Jairman Reddy, Dr Martin Mandew; Midlands Campus Director who was programme director, U.S. Consul General; Taylor Ruggles, the University’s three unions; NEHAWU, TENUSA and NTEU, members of the University’s senior management team as well as staff and students.

Dr Mandew said while Mandela’ passing had been expected, it still came as a shock when it was announced. Describing him as a “revolutionary colossus”, Dr Mandew said contrary to popular belief, the former statesman would not be “a tough act to follow” because fractions of him (Mandela) live in each one of us. “If we can find that Madiba in all of us, allow him to rise and come to the fore, and allow those fractions (of Mandela) to combine, he wouldn’t be a tough act to follow,” he said.

Dr Reddy remembered Mandela for his humour, humility, strength and his immense love for children. He urged South African’s and the world to use this time to reflect deeply, saying “things have not gone according to what he (Mandela) would have wanted in the past 20 years (in South Africa)”. “We should use this time to build this great nation,” he said.

Alan Khan, Senior Director of Corporate Affairs at DUT, who also read Prof Ahmed Bawa’s (DUT Vice-Chancellor and Principal) message; said Mandela, who spent just under 10000 days in prison compared to the 8699 days he spent outside of prison after his release, should be remembered for his contribution to us, our children and their children.

Reading Prof Bawa’s message, he said, “I am at a meeting in New York and my eyes welled-up in tears as I heard via an SMS of the passing away of the father of our nation. Our deep fortune rests in the fact that we have lived at the same time as this remarkable human being. Some of us had the opportunity to hear him, on the field behind Kings Park, reign in the violence of KZN in the early 1990s, by exhorting hundreds of thousands of young South Africans to ‘Take your guns, your knives, your pangas and throw them into the sea,’ repeated thrice punctuated with deep moments of silence. We all had a sense of history being carved out at that moment. What is left for us is to ensure that we bring to being the world that this great man envisioned for our beautiful country and its beautiful people. He has left us with vision, with passion and with discipline. We must embrace these. We must shape them so that they are they are meaningful for our young. We must make him live in us and in our children. Thank you Tata Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela”, said Prof Bawa.

Bishop Phillip remembered meeting Mandela, one such occasion being at a meeting called by Mandela to discuss the role of religion in the new democracy. The meeting was attended by four other bishops. Bishop Phillip remembered how Mandela listened to their (bishops) views and did not lecture them.

“The authorities (of apartheid) couldn’t imprison his soul and spirit, even though they did his body. Remarkably (after his release from prison), he was able to see past his chains and prison cell to a new dawn. He (Mandela) must have known that if he didn’t leave his bitterness and hatred behind, he’d still be in prison,” he said.

He said he hopes South Africa abandons its old ways, old (oppressive and hurtful) language, outdated strategies and instead embraces the past but lives in the present, saying Mandela was able to set the country’s foundation for democracy because he had “moved on.

– Sinegugu Ndlovu

Pictured: Right Reverend Rubin Phillip, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Natal, delivering his message during today’s memorial service where the late Nelson Mandela was celebrated and remembered for his immense contribution to South Africa.