After days of ‘top secret’ emails and hushed conversations, a somewhat hysterical cohort of 2010 Mandela Rhodes Scholars were escorted to meet their patron, Nelson Mandela, at his offices in Johannesburg.
After days of ‘top secret’ emails and hushed conversations, a somewhat hysterical cohort of 2010 Mandela Rhodes Scholars were escorted to meet their patron, Nelson Mandela, at his offices in Johannesburg.
On arrival at the Nelson Mandela Foundation, we were meticulously briefed: “Talk loudly and articulate what you say. Madiba doesn’t like to admit that he is hard of hearing.”
We were informed that Madiba would receive us in groups of four, and that each of us would be formally introduced by the Mandela-Rhodes CEO, Shaun Johnson.
Amid all this, we were instructed to relax and be ourselves – easier said than done when you are about to meet the most revered man of the 20th century.
The nerves and excitement in the waiting room were palpable, and of course, I was the last to be received by Mandela, giving me more than enough time to rehearse hand-shakes, hellos and“nice to meet you” in my head.
Finally I was ushered into a large room. I’m sure there must have been a lot of things in that room, but I was fixated on a colossal chair which faced away from me where I could just glimpse the back of Madiba’s head.
I knew that any moment Shaun Johnson would call me over to be introduced. What would the man in that chair look like when I turned around to face him?
I feared he would be old and frail – perhaps even soft and tired. But turning around to face him, all I remember is a gigantic smile, a firm handshake and a booming welcome.
While Madiba has definitely aged, I have never seen anyone more alive and more engaging. In the short time we had with him, he had asked the Congolese scholars who their current president was, enquired as to whether the scholars from UCT had met his wife, and commented on the Eastern Cape being “where his people are from”.
A ninety-two year old man had just met twenty-seven new people and managed to connect with every single one.
For each second that I was in that room, I was deeply aware that this is a great man in the evening of his life.
This was an incredibly precious and privileged moment. Through every handshake, it felt as though Madiba was passing the torch to a new generation of African leaders his scholars.
I still find it hard to believe that Madiba made time to meet with me, and that Al Gore had to sit and wait while the scholars enjoyed the moment.
And that while some of us were leaving the room, a man who had spent 27 years in prison, lead a party, and inspired a nation, said “Congratulations. I’m proud of you.”
