July edition of New African magazine takes stock of the state of Africa, as the world celebrates centenary birthday of the late President Nelson Mandela, on July 18, 2018.

WITH all things involving the late Nelson Mandela, a former president of South Africa, both in life and in death, commemorative activities have been planned across the globe to celebrate the life and the legacy of one of Africa’s greatest sons as his July 18, birthday centenary approaches. But New AfricanJuly edition – on sale in newsstands in over 75 countries globally – not only celebrates the freedom fighter’s centenary, but uses this landmark date to look back at where Africa stands today.

The special edition – Guest Edited by Makaziwe Mandela, his oldest daughter, reflects and evaluates the state of Africa in the 100 years of Madiba, and has collated views from his family and those who closely worked with him to take stock

Contributors to the edition include Mandela’s grand children, Ndaba – who has just released his book Going to the Mountain, life lessons from my grandfather – Ndileka, and Swati. His fellow Robben Island prisoner, former minister and now prominent businessman, Tokyo Sexwale, former executive secretary at the UN Economic Commission for Africa, Carlos Lopes, the popular veteran singer and rights activist Yvonne Chaka Chaka, former ministers in Nelson Mandela’s first cabinet Jay Naidoo and Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, and many others including his personal chef for over 20 years fondly known in the family as Mam Xoli contribute to this commemorative issue.

Their abiding opinion is that the struggle hero did the best he could to win South African political freedom from one of the most brutal and racist systems in the world. But that the onus was and still is on the next generation of leaders after him, to ensure economic and social empowerment for the majority black South Africans.

“Tata beckoned South Africa and Africa to take charge of its own future and shape the destiny of her people. The content in this edition attempts to assess the resilience of Madiba’s legacy,” Makaziwe said. In her editorial she added that: “Tata recognised his failings and his own place in the world. As he often admonished, he was “not a saint” and therefore would not want us to beatify him. When Tata walked out of prison in 1990, he was the first to admit he was not a free man, since for him there is no freedom for one man without the freedom for all. Thus he fought hard to bequeath us the political freedom all South Africans enjoy today. It is a truism, though, that freedom even today remains elusive for millions of our unemployed youth, millions of our people stuck in poverty, contempt and indignity.”

Indeed, more than half of the current generation (the so-called ‘born-frees’ whose the views of these are also captured in this must-read issue), was not born when Nelson Mandela and his fellow Rivonia trialists were imprisoned for life for their fight against apartheid. What matters to them is what is happening in their lives today, an issue Tokyo Sexwale picked up in his contribution: “Africa is better, but she is still ill economically. Africa should be afraid of being left any further behind by technological advances and if we continue to remain technological have-nots, Africa will continue to serve other people forever – and that is not an ideal Madiba fought for.”

– July 11, 2018 @ 17:29 GMT |