Before long walk to freedom - the young Mandela Lessons

As a young South African, I asked myself a curious question: Who is Nelson Mandela? I have been taught the history of the democratic South Africa, who was 27 years, a martyr imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize winner was the first black president - his great political reform, among many other awards.

Often, the admiration of the crowd, waving a colorful shirt with the knowledge that the man was accompanied by a picture of a month; Robin Island prison cell of a man looking out of withered; or a young man raised his fists in boxing attire.

But the 21-year-old male student who has ever lived, or the oppression of apartheid, Nelson Mandela who is the dilemma of the new democracy that has led to a 19-year-old man?

The 'born frees' lessons

Achiever and contrasting the old image of the young fighters, gray hair valuable lessons, I found that my generation before applicable to explore the identity of the young Nelson Mandela was through.

Mandela parents were both illiterate, and the next generation would move cattle grazing land was part of the urban gardeners and miners, but remained significantly this confine their studies to become a lawyer.

His first job, so that post-apartheid South Africa before becoming the first black president, as a night watchman was while he was studying for his BA degree. Thimbu royal clan as a member of the Eastern Cape, his decision to humble himself to take a lowly job in spite of its class - in the pursuit of higher education - it was wonderful.

And later, in furthering his education, he obtained his law degree study loans to finance. In fact, this post-apartheid defiant self-initiative and the right to show a sense of when it is contrary to the culture of dependency on the government's pursuit of education.

It is sad that people who insist on waiting for the government to deliver. Mandela took the bold course of self-education in the spirit of initiative among young people die, and that it resulted in a lack of initiative among the people to improve their lives.

To educate them oppressive apartheid government provides nothing close to that for the education of blacks, the more education you can get, even if the generations who enjoy the democratic freedoms and political Nelson Mandela could not solve?

Just like today, education was not an easy road. With his increased political activity, Mandela actually failed three times in his last year of law at the University of Witwatersrand.

Though flawed heroes

there is a lesson to this two-fold.

First of all, even heroes are flawed. Fewer men rounded a realistic model to follow, and that is a clear failure lasts more than a few times that it is the first attempt succeeds. Mandela still eventually graduated lawyer, and I cannot imagine that this resistance is rooted in the realization of freedom of education - open and his mind once he was freed, it was the next logical step for the liberation of his people.

In fact, even though it might not just me comfort to know that there is a second-year student, and teachers have always been very creative when formulating questions in the study; Higher education is certainly not for the faint-hearted.

Secondly, even if the degree does not mean Mandela, the oppressed and the mediocre in a tiny cubicle with wall-to settle on the convenience of having an attorney. Just with a law degree, she released an entire nation - a nation at that time was designed for graduate’s condition of servitude.

For him, politics and education foundation and a major stepping stone in South Africa as a symbol of liberation, and I think that this side has the freedom to make choices is essential for the current generation.

Tertiary education is not a single-lane road to a specific profession; It is a holistic platform for learning and self-expanding outside the confines of a title to the goods. It is through democracy that we are given the freedom to graduate employable, or the job is to be the founder of South Africa's economic climate with high unemployment.

It is interesting to see the versatility of Mandela - who brought the character of the political changes in South Africa - was taken at the beginning of his political career at the time was the president of the African National Congress Youth suit the needs of the people.

In the beginning was the racial, democratic and united against the Africans in their struggle for liberation that will lead to an independent. But he changed his focus on being outvoted.

Changing his views in front of his entire race, in which he stood when the effort was appointed the first president of a democratic South Africa between the values ​​laid the foundations for peace and reconciliation.

Mandela was not afraid to change his attitude to facilitate the mutual best interests of the liberation effort. The transition to democracy in the segregation delicate procedure brink of civil war under dictatorial post-independence African leaders in the country, like in many other African countries.

Mandela forgiveness and unity for a common goal to bring together the different cultural values ​​of 11 were able to build a democratic South Africa.

It's hard to relate to young people, who is Nelson Mandela, seems to have grown a 'work-in-progress' far-away for a concept of democracy that under apartheid, and Nelson Mandela is a historical figure, it is still relevant and applicable instead of the 'new era' for young poverty, unemployment and access to education for detailed battles.

To pray for the recovery of the world Nelson Mandela celebrated his 95th birthday, as the young Nelson was - that was the catalyst for change in our time - trying to remember that we would ourselves.

He assured us that we should be thankful to live in freedom, but I'm even more grateful for the life lessons in a purposeful and fulfilling life, I can learn about Nelson Mandela.

* A student at the University of Pretoria and the legal Rental Kits receiver with Allan Gray Fellowship, an initiative to develop future leaders of South Africa.

Comment

He is not a hero and a martyr, but his lifestyle and attitude sets him apart from other so-called leaders, especially in Africa - where the post-independence / colonial / apartheid era to find heroes is like looking for a needle in a haystack, it seems.

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