Thinking of Mandela & South Africa

On this day in 1994 Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as president of South Africa.

It is said that when Benjamin Franklin was leaving the constitutional convention of 1787 a citizen asked him whether our new country was going to be a monarchy or a republic. Franklin replied, “A republic, if you can keep it.”

Mandela delivered a republic to South Africa.

And while none of the men who have followed rise to Mandela’s stature, they have allowed fair votes (more than less) and have passed on that dream of a genuine republic.

And it has happened again. Zuma is no Mandela, God knows. But he is their fourth democratically elected president…

So, so far, so good…

And much thanks to you Mr Mandela for this. You could have been king. You chose to be president. And to deliver a republic to people that desperately needed one on the southern shores of the African continent…

There is, of course, much work yet to do.

But, also, the dream continues…