67 Minutes for Mandela Day

67 Minutes for Mandela Day
67 Minutes for Mandela Day - Image - Celestine Chua Flickr page

Today July 18th is the day where people all over the world will spend 67 minutes making the world a better place, all in remembrance of Nelson Mandela. It is raising awareness and a rewarding time for many corporations, companies, and individuals who will spend the 67 minutes making a difference. Nelson Mandela once said.“to deny people their human rights is to challenge their very humanity.”

What can be most useful is to spend that time lecturing on racism and in particular the hatred against the white minority group in South Africa and do what Mandela said, do not deny people their human rights. Posts on social media spread hatred toward the white people, and some have stated that they will use the 67 minutes to kill 67 whites. If a post of this nature came from a white person, there would be an uproar to take action and lambast the minority.

A noble gesture would be to spend the 67 minutes contributing to white people’s charities, which have been excluded from receiving benefits under the government’s Black Economic Empowerment program. Granted millions of charities need assistance, but when a particular group is isolated from receiving benefits, then human rights is denied.

There will be random acts of kindness, feeding the homeless, painting schools, giving to the poor and uplifting devastated people. Others will donate organs; will help save lives and open up their hearts for the 67 minutes.

It is noble and wonderful that people will be generous for 67 minutes, and then return to the normality of what is happening in South Africa. The charity should begin at home and not stop there, and although we cannot help everyone, we should remember to help someone.

However, it remains a critical concern, which many of the majority believe that Mandela negotiated with the white minority and protected their interests. Mandela is an icon, and loved by millions of people around the world, yet millions do not believe Mandela was the saint the world perceived him to be. Many believe that Mandela was painted as a prominent, peaceful humanitarian reconciling South Africa, and then millions believe he was and always remained a terrorist.

To many Mandela is not their hero or the people’s hero, and still waiting for liberation and freedom in South Africa. The time spent honoring the dead Mandela should be done in love and not false hero worship of an icon, rather heed the words of Mandela and stop hating people because of the color of their skin.

South Africa Today – South Africa News