I first moved to South Africa in 1990, the year before Nelson Mandela became president of the ANC and 3 years before he became the 1st black SA president. I was pregnant with Lily, my 3rd child and the country was pregnant with anticipation, a change was in the air. The world was focused on SA and a total flip in the culture was occurring. I feel so blessed to have been a part of the country’s transition into the light. To see things shift for the better of the common man and the majority.

It saddens me that so little of Mandela’s vision of betterment is being brought about by the ANC. But that is not the focus of my blog, I don’t want to get bogged down in the blame game.

To me this time is for reflection on what Madiba’s vision was. I’ve seen so many people bashing the UK governmental leaders, bashing our own government. There is a time and a place for that, this is not it. It’s not about politician agendas, racist tendencies or scare-mongering. It is a time for respect.

To be able to be imprisoned and forced into labour by a government which repressed the people native to the country they took over, to spend that time and come out of it as open and generous as Mandela did? Not something I think most of us could do.

“I have fought against white domination, I have fought against black domination”. I hope that comes true and we all find our place.

As a country we are in mourning, internationally, everyone felt a bit South African on the day we lost Madiba.

I read that when a great African leader dies, the universe sends a strong wind to help his spirit cross over. We had torrential winds the last few days….blow wind blow.

Good bye Tata, rest well. It’s so deserved.