Keypoints:
- Tributes shared by foreign embassies
- Mandela Foundation hosts memorial walk
- ANC reflects on Mandela’s legacy
FOREIGN missions, political parties and citizens in South Africa on Friday marked the 12th anniversary of the passing of Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid leader whose legacy continues to resonate across the world. Mandela died on December 5, 2013, aged 95.
Tributes poured in from diplomatic missions in Pretoria, political organisations and community groups, who described his life’s work as a global beacon for justice and reconciliation. Public messages of tribute were widely shared on social media, including on the platform X, highlighting Mandela’s influence beyond South Africa’s borders.
The commemorations formed part of an annual reflection on his contribution to ending apartheid and leading South Africa into its first democratic era. Many South Africans continue to refer to him as the ‘Father of the Nation’ in recognition of his leadership and moral authority.
Missions salute Mandela’s legacy
The European Union (EU) delegation to South Africa posted a short statement noting that Mandela’s legacy ‘continues to impact and inspire people all over the world’. The delegation added: ‘Today, we pay tribute to his life and work. May his legacy continue to guide our actions.’
The French Embassy in South Africa also shared a tribute, describing Mandela as ‘an iconic freedom fighter who dedicated his life to the liberation of the South African people’. The embassy highlighted his close relationship with France and noted that Mandela visited Paris in 1990, shortly after his release from prison.
According to the embassy’s post, Mandela’s visit marked a historic moment that strengthened ties. Then-President François Mitterrand welcomed Mandela to Paris and later became the first Western leader to visit South Africa after the introduction of democratic rule.
The Russian Embassy said Mandela remained a ‘global symbol of freedom’, recalling that Russia honoured him with a national day of mourning in 2013. In a message on X, the embassy noted that President Vladimir Putin sent condolences at the time, referencing historic ties between the Soviet Union and the African National Congress (ANC), the party Mandela once led.
These statements underscored the international reach of Mandela’s political influence, particularly among countries that supported the anti-apartheid struggle.
South Africans honour ‘Madiba’
In South Africa, commemorations included community remembrance events and organised gatherings focused on Mandela’s legacy. The Nelson Mandela Foundation announced that more than 10,000 people would take part in a memorial walk and run in Pretoria to honour South Africa’s first democratically elected Black president.
‘It’s an honour to stand here at the Nelson Mandela Foundation and to say thank you to Madiba for the inspiration he continues to provide for so many of us,’ the foundation’s Chief Executive, Mbongiseni Buthelezi, said in a video message.
Mandela spent 27 years in prison under the apartheid regime before his release in 1990. He became president in 1994 and led a government that pursued national reconciliation rather than retribution. His leadership remains a central reference point in South Africa’s political landscape.
The ANC, in a statement marking the anniversary, said Mandela’s passing is observed with ‘profound remembrance’. It added: ‘Twelve years later, his absence is still felt across our land because Madiba represented the finest traditions of our movement, courage rooted in principle, humility born in struggle, and unshakable devotion to serve the people.’
The party’s tribute reflected Mandela’s enduring influence within the ANC and the broader liberation movement.
