My Neighbour on Robben Island: People's Voices

People's Opinions - Think Piece

"Mandela Sold us out"

The afternoon sun burns through my exposed feet. Sitting under a big tree at the Botanic gardens, I look up to see two old men (one was 80 something, another in his mid 70s), walking slowly up the incline, talking and picking the multi-purpose mfecumfecane that treats snake bites, flu and other ailments. Naturally, we greeted each other and started talking. I've developed a fascination for herbs, since I moved down to grahamstown. The fact that they are everywhere and every other person I talk to seems to possess some elementary knowledge of the herbs helps a great deal, so I have been using herbs, treating myself like a first class patient. That is how our conversation started, which led to the 80 year old Mkhulu stating that he was imprisoned at the Robbin Island with Mandela for 6 and a half years.

"You know, our savior, angel, hero" he said, "uMandela", looking around cautiously to see who was watching. He then continued, "He sold us out. He used to write letters, making deals with the oppressors, whilst Sobukwe was isolated ad treated like an inhuman in the next cell".

So naturally, I ask, "but isn't this what you fought for, why you stayed in jail for all those years?" Again, Umkhulu looked around and then answered, "no, this is not what we fought for……(Quote direct words of what they fought for)
Umkhulu was not the first person to say that, follow the link to read more on the matter, http://www.news24.com/MyNews24/How-Mandela-sold-out-blacks-20120717. It's common knowledge nowadays that Mandela neglected to negotiate and ensure that the demands of the people he was fighting for and with were met. His negotiations however brought about freedom of expression for people who were executed for speaking up, freedom to pursue their vision, to practice their traditions and opportunities to become financially independent.
These are the benefits the Black South Africans now enjoy, which they didn't have before Mandelas presidency. It is not enough though, under the circumstances, people still feel betrayed. So the question is, what would I have done if I were Mandela, given the opportunity? Would I have refused to negotiate and stubbornly insisted on all or nothing, whilst I rot in jail with my people being massacred everyday? Would I have trusted in my people's ability to fight for us all and become victorious, liberating us before the end of our days? Or would I have done everything in my power to stop the killings, so that my people can live to fight another day? Genocides, decade-long civil wars are nothing foreign in Africa, So would I have allowed my country to become like Congo, Wranda, Somalia, or others, knowing I had the power to change things?

Power? This one African man, Madiba, with the power to end decades and perhaps even centuries of oppression and annihilation. Did Mandela really have that power? Some people say he was a pawn in the grand scheme of things. I mean, think about it, when did Mandela's presence become felt? How did the people chose him to be their representative, out of all the distinguished ANC leaders? He wasn't the ANC president at the time, infact the president of the time had some misgivings about him and other senior members of the party. So what made Mandela become the person they wanted as their representative, whilst he was in jail. So who could have had the power to influence and brainwash the public into wanting Mandela? Some say the Media, but who controlled the Media at the time. Some people say, the same people that controlled the flow of weaponry in SA. The people who wanted power and control.

South Africa was being sanctioned because of Apartheid, businesses were failing, the economy was declining, it couldn't be allowed. They needed to gain control of the situation, they needed an inside man to calm the storms, and that is exactly what Mandela supposedly did. We cannot say for sure, without adequate, comprehensive information what really happened. We can only speculate. The lack of information in this regard is a significant matter on its own. We can search for the truth though, we now live in an era where almost everything can be uncovered, but of course, you'll have to care enough to want to know.

Umkhulu left with his last words, saying "We are leaving this world soon, our days are numbered now, we are old, it's you, young ones who will have to make it right". That is the undisputable truth, regardless of what Mandela and the bureaucrats might have done in the past and their reasons for doing it. We are the ones who have to do something about it now. If history has taught us anything is that, there will always be the Mandelas, Sobukwes and Mkhulus of the era. People have never seen eye to eye, but for the sake of our continued species, we learn to coexist, lest risk extinction. Perhaps that is the very reason why the Afrikaners decided to abort the apartheid system. A majority of them could have easily lived their lives without ever coming to contact with Black people, but when conditions evolved and demanded co-existing, they had to adapt for their survival.

We can get into that story another day, but today I salute those who were responsible for ending the civil wars in South Africa. I'm grateful that nowadays 7 year olds do not have to become accustomed to the smell of burned bodies on the side of the road they use every time they go to the shops or to school since trying to move them meant death as a traitor. We now have right to protect the innocent and create a human friendly environment, we have opportunities to access information, think for ourselves and make informed decision so that we cannot recreate the horrors of the past and make the same mistakes as our forefathers. Social accountability doesn't only afford us the opportunities to question and access information, but it also allows us opportunities to get involved in matters that affect you through transparency within governance. The times have changed, lets ensure the success of our progression by deeply interrogating what we don't understand for the purpose of coexisting peacefully.

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