Is It REALLY Necessary?

September 10, 2012 by  

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Nelson Mandela…an incredible man, don’t you think? Spent 27 years in prison fighting injustices that faced SA pre-democracy, spent more years giving to humanity and well…did more of the ”struggle fighting” thing along with other political leaders.
So it’s only fitting that we honour the ”world’s most revered statesmen” by putting his face on South African banknotes, right? No….not right!

For the reader that is a bit confused: The South African Reserve Bank recently launched a national communications campaign around the forthcoming introduction of the country’s new series of banknotes honouring former president, Nelson Mandela.

When I first heard about this…I kept on asking WHY? Is it really necessary to redesign the notes, to make space for Madiba’s potrait? Is it worth all the costs? Speaking of costs, the communications campaign set the Reserve Bank back by R32 million. Couldn’t they have donated that Madiba-less money to the Gauteng Provincial Government to finish fixing the N12 highway instead?

However, Gill Marcus seems to think it’s worth it as she suggested that the new banknotes ”reflects South Africa’s pride as a nation and pays tribute to a much-loved world leader.” So I figure this means, having the ”Big 5” on current notes, is not enough reflection of our national heritage…so let’s rather chuck in Madiba in the mix. How’s that for undermining the value of the ”Big 5” as our national heritage.
Our president, reckons it’s a ”humble gesture” to express South Africa’s ”deep gratitude” so I guess, the Nelson Mandela Bridge, Nelson Mandela Square, his statue at Groot Drakenstein Correctional Centre are all ”humble gesture” hey. Heck…there’s even a trapdoor spider named after him, Stasimopus Mandelai.
Over and above other ‘‘humble gestures” such as Mandela Day, the statue of Mandela in Parliament Square, London, the Nelson Mandela Gardens in Leeds…can’t keep up.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a Madiba stan, but I’m starting to think he’s overrated. He undoubtedly deserves all the acclaims he owns, but now where do we draw the line? Doesn’t feel like, without him, South Africa is blurred on the map? Hence, we neglect other things and people that helped and are still getting their hands dirty to shape up our country.

How about we refrain from thinking like the typical American who reckons Nelson Mandela single-handedly fought against Apartheid? Can we instead, honour Madiba by making the RIGHT CHOICE when voting? By taking issues of housing, education, transport and public healthcare seriously, instead of investing our attention to portraits of ”The Spear”. Can he be honoured by promoting democratic principles, instead of trying to censor the media? #DearGovernment.
His legacy is all about reconciliation and peace, not to be a money-maker…so lastly, let’s respect the old man by not using his name…and face, for selfish private business reasons-all in the name of ”honouring” him.

By Sefiso Hlongwane

@fizicss

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Comments

39 Comments on "Is It REALLY Necessary?"

  1. snapshot on Mon, 10th Sep 2012 10:33 pm 

    Am I the first……he spent 9377 days

  2. elegnamis on Mon, 10th Sep 2012 10:34 pm 

    R32 mil :o eish!!! and steve biko hospital is in crisis

  3. snapshot on Mon, 10th Sep 2012 10:41 pm 

    @elegnamis playing it safe I see….kwaaaaa. The No:1 spot is taken shine shine

    To every1 who cares: NM when he was in prison, he was kept with white prisoners not blacks. He had all the necessities & luxurious life there.

  4. sparrow on Mon, 10th Sep 2012 10:47 pm 

    Um in the top 5 atleast*goes to read*

  5. Eyh2Jee on Mon, 10th Sep 2012 10:50 pm 

    its not like we were gonna get the 32 million anyway.
    I will never be enough, unless all South Africans adopt Mandela as their national clan name!

  6. Eyh2Jee on Mon, 10th Sep 2012 10:50 pm 

    I vs It

  7. Azuree on Mon, 10th Sep 2012 10:52 pm 

    That time we have hospitals with dysfunctional generators among other problems.. *sigh*

  8. BGT on Mon, 10th Sep 2012 10:53 pm 

    It’s overkill. Are there not enough tributes already? I mean no disrespect to the man but I think with every street, bridge, swamp and pothole in South Africa named after him putting his face on EVERY bank note as well is almost a joke. Mandelamania is cheapening his legacy if anything. This shit is too much, I’m sorry.

    Can our other struggle icons get some love too?

  9. bumbum on Mon, 10th Sep 2012 11:34 pm 

    @Azuree you killed me with this >with every street, bridge, swamp and pothole in South Africa named after him putting his face on EVERY bank note as well is almost a joke.

    Haike nama potholes included..:hehehe I can imagine on the traffic in the morning. “There’s an accidant on the N2 near the Mandela pothole” kwaaaaa

  10. inURdreams on Mon, 10th Sep 2012 11:44 pm 

    What’s your agrument here Chief?Is it that we have new bank notes or that Mandela is the face of these banknotes? Another thing, can people stop this notion of thinking every cent from the government is gonna go straight into a charitable cause.like really now it makes us sound grossly uninformed to say the least! Point is, we live in a Capitalist world and such things shall happen. Look at it like this, Madiba’s 1 of our greatest asset as a nation so trust me the benifit of having Madiba on those banknotes has already been calculated by those in the know how and has a quantifiable value greater then the cost of implementing such a policy. Forget what Zuma said, of course this is more than just a gesture to the old man(but he can’t exactly come out and say hey listen guys, having Madiba on these notes and everywhere else is very lucritive for our country coz the world sucks up to him so let’s ride this wave while we still can)let’s not forget kaloku the smallest things spark investor confidence. So Big up to the new bank notes with improved security and control systems.

  11. TreyScriptures on Mon, 10th Sep 2012 11:51 pm 

    @Sefiso, great article.
    Here I was thinking that the FACE of apartheid is over-rated. You’d swear he did everything all by himself. I’m tired of seeing “Mandela” this, Mandela that. Corner Nelson Mandela and Madiba. Nelson Mandela square, Nelson Mandela bay, Nelson Mandela vetkoek place, Madiba Car wash, Mandela pre-school, Nelson Mandela High School. Ai no, they may as well name South Africa, Nelson Mandela Country. Yes he is an admirable man, but dzang, he’s not God. Get over it. Some people played larger roles than Mandela

  12. TreyScriptures on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 12:02 am 

    I’m sure a car is being designed and it’ll be branded Nelson Roli Roli Mandela.

    So I’d like to know, does it even matter about the future of SA or shall we be confined by all these apartheid issues? Everything is about bo Biko, Tambo, Sisulu, Peterson, Mandela, all past activists. So does Jesus have to land here some time for new historical data cause seemingly not much has happened but racism. That’s our country’s claim to fame.

  13. bumbum on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 12:17 am 

    Lol damn, too much for the man who won’t even notice that he’s holding a note with his face on it

    Can the man retire in peace though, we were doing fine with our Bhubesis, Ndlovus, Frogs and Hyenas.

    I still have much respect for the man, no doubt about that.

  14. noma4 on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 12:58 am 

    i sometimes wonder how the families of the other struggle heroes feel. we rarely ever hear about abo Steve Biko, it’s sad really but i get you @inURdreams :)

  15. Brown Shuga on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 1:02 am 

    Hayi uyibekile InUrdreams, enkosi.

    Lol at the rest of the pothole comments

  16. lolington kwaaa on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 2:52 am 

    I really think this is silly.
    In fact Mandela does not deserve all of this. The people who did all the physical fighting and suffered more than him get nothing because they are dead and he gets all the praise because he was good at negotiating? Mncm!
    This is so not necessary.
    I have nothing against the old man,I just think he’s fake. Unless he is Jesus , he can’t be so forgiving towards the white people after all they did to him! Mncm!

    This rant is so unnecessary but please allow me. *goes back to her cage*

  17. bonitaapplebum on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 7:53 am 

    Now our notes are going to look like Naira’s, smh

  18. Solomon.Mahlangu on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 8:07 am 

    Some of you here, just dopnt like Madibs. There is no need to compare him to any of the other struggle heros because he led from the front and took the harshest punishment. I suggest we all read the long Walk To Freedom to see the extents that Madibs went to to free this country.

    He deserves all the monuments and praise he’s getting. I also agree 100% with InUrDreams, this will have a significant impact somewhere somehow (The reserve bank is run by very intelligent and educated people). Lolington Kwaaaa, you nedd to get some info on the struggle, even if its a doccie khona uzobona ukuthi an army consists of many ranks and people make different sacrifices for the same purpose. Viva Madibs I am because you were !

  19. Soccerbabe on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 8:09 am 

    A day he kicks the bucket will be a public holiday *bellydance*

  20. lbg on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 8:21 am 

    Ai ppl u need to chill first of all in other countries mandelas face would have made the bank notes in 90 or 94 so this has been a long time coming. I dnt get the fuss atleast the money is going into a change we will see rather than in a court case and sombdies pocket. Nelson Mandela was the first black president and poster child for the struggle. The honour is for what he stands for not who suffered most. You ppl r pathetic thrz a budget for such expenses so chill. I fully support the change and best part is the big five notes will be worth a lot in years to come. Now let us accept change nd fight prejudice and corruption and not each other tu. Lastly if we wanted to recognise every person who was in the struggle then our history would be densed out nd we will soon forget. NB I’m suprised by the number of people who seem to resent madiba its shocking

  21. elegnamis on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 8:39 am 

    @bonita kwaaaaa!!! But ke inyaniso that note looks like Naira! Kwaaaa!

  22. Smatsatsa on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 8:59 am 

    Before I read this, does JZ not have a groomer for those nails!!! OMG! They’re stained and dirty!!!

  23. Smatsatsa on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 9:07 am 

    @inURdreams spot on!

  24. TreyScriptures on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 9:15 am 

    Ibg we don’t resent Mandela but he’s being force fed to us and now the novelty of him has worn out. Do you not think they’ve done enough to drill Mandela into everybody’s head? First black president or not, apartheid face or not, we will eventually get bored. A man who basically sold us has been celebrated long enough. We’ve exhausted every avenue with Mandela legacy. From bank notes to having a Nelson Mandela day. Funny thing is, we might have two Nelson Mandela days, one ‘his Bday’ and 2 the day he passes on. Is that really not enough? Or do we need a superhero script for this man “SuperMANdela”? Get over it

  25. Fab Tee on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 9:32 am 

    “Do you not think they’ve done enough to drill Mandela into everybody’s head? First black president or not, apartheid face or not, we will eventually get bored”….speak for yourself sisi coz i personally Im not not bored and doubt I ever will, i dont think enough will ever be done to honour him, I personally think Madiba deserves every bank note, street, bridge, pothole that is being named to honour him, see here I am speaking for MYSELF, so it’d be nice if others could stop speaking for everyone else when they say WE are tired of this “Mandelamania” *as I go back to my corner*

  26. Ms.Zie on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 9:45 am 

    I don’t think its a matter of us discounting Mandela’s contribution towards racial equality, liberation etc but we are ‘Madela fatigued’. We are tired of the continuous commercialisation of him and his legacy. There are other struggle heroes that can be given the platform that Mandela is always given. He has done a lot for us and we will never stop appreciating his contribution towards ending the Apartheid regime, but it’s enough now. Mina, nje for one, sengikhathele. Let’s honour some of our other struggle heroes, he did not fight the Apartheid regime single- handedly.

  27. sparrow on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 9:53 am 

    Y’all need stameta!black people complain about EVERYTHING.

  28. Mathaz on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 10:12 am 

    Yes it is necessary,Mandela is the symbol of where we come from hence his name is all over.Yes he’s not the only freedom fighter mara he is an icon.

  29. Monei on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 10:17 am 

    sigh.we are soooo bordering on idolatry of our former statesman pensioner.

    As inURdreams says we may benefit by milking his legacy while its there but we are also misrepresenting the history of the country’s struggle by feeding those gullible, lazy and propaganda hungry ppl of 1st world countries as well as some of our own ppl. I wonder how many who land at OR Tambo int airport know who he is. 2mrw reps 35 yrs since Biko died. There are martyrs of this struggle who rnt getting their fair share. I would like to also think there are new heroes worthy of punting as well, but we’re too absorbed in one man’s “magic” to be equitable with our praise and gratitude.

    I don’t want to take his shine away and i don’t belong to the party that sez he sold us out. but i do believe this glorification of the man is excessive now. no wonder his poor kids and grandkids cnt/don’t do shit- drowning in the legacy that is being fed by others without them having to do much but leech off it. those children must stop using his surname unduly- they aren’t bastards.

  30. promisez on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 11:25 am 

    Mandela for president! oops meant Mandela for Face of all monies in Africa!

  31. sillyangel on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 11:48 am 

    i just logged in to say

    woooooooooooo *scrunches up face*
    Zacob Zuma’s finger nails

    haaaai haaaai haiii nooooo !!

    forget the Mandela bank notes !! ke kopa a manicure for our president, he banna he shakes peoples hands with those lord of the rings finger nails….

    LMAO

  32. Is It REALLY Necessary? | Cigarat on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 12:09 pm 

    [...] Leave a comment [...]

  33. fizicss on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 1:25 pm 

    @InUrDreams Don’t you think it’s about time we looked into other things/people to cash in on foreign investments? Isn’t there more to South Africa than banking on the face of the ”struggle”? I’d like to think there is. But we wouldn’t see that seeing that Mandela is being force fed to us. What happens when we can no longer use him, as our ”national heritage”? And lastly, the South African Reserve Bank is a private instituition…so whatever comes out of this…the government won’t get a hold of it. Which means, it doesn’t really benefit the country in terms of fixing social issues…because, we are a 3rd world country…and like it or not, we are a charity case. We don’t have money to waste.

  34. Wild Island on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 1:48 pm 

    ooh we do have a Mandela Boardroom la espanini and his huge Statue,all his momento stuff,the treason pen u name it all the original stuff he once used and was auctioned zilana.and i must say im loving every memorabilia thats is around that big room *a must see…

    #stop blaming other institutions for mismanagement of funds by other departments..like now lebuwa kasteve biko hospital(dept of health), N12 (deptmnt or road works..) textbooks(detmnt of edu)…we were all glued to our screens when the minister was allocating money aetsa budget speech and bonke bathola imali what they did with it is what we must focus on..hai ukuthi ubani is donating where ever bese u want them to be charitable where as labobantu they were alocated money haisuka south africans kanti ninjani…
    #the issue abt him being honoured instead of the unsung heros is the same as Tsietsi mashinini vs hector peterson(i did discuss that donkey yeras ago)so dont even go there..its time for change so let him be as always and will always be…

  35. dejane on Tue, 11th Sep 2012 2:24 pm 

    I’ve been saying though. Dankie Sefiso… Safa u Mandela. All our kids grow up knowing Mandela, but know nothing about the other struggle hero’s who played just an important role.

    But guys don’t you think its a shame to have informal settlements named after our struggle hero’s? Esp considering the state these informal settlements are in.

  36. Smiles on Wed, 12th Sep 2012 4:45 am 

    Thank you Mr. Hlongwane for such a well written opinion piece.
    My Christian sensibilities are telling me that this is straight up IDOLATRY!!! Madiba is but a man after-all & wasnt it him who asked not to be put on such a padestal, reminding people that he also makes mistakes. Aowa as much as I’m a Madiba fan, this is going too far now. When does it end. Let’s leave the man in peace tuu.

  37. Smiles on Wed, 12th Sep 2012 4:49 am 

    About corporates using his image to make money. According to one of his grand kids in an interview, those Madiba coins apparently make about 100million Rand per year and the family gets absolutely nothing from it. Talk about milking Madiba’s image for all you can, tjo!

  38. MissGalaxy on Wed, 12th Sep 2012 1:28 pm 

    Idolatry Full Stop.

  39. lejazz on Sat, 15th Sep 2012 12:43 pm 

    Soon a town will be named after him.

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