Leave Rhodes & put Mandela next to him

Martin Zagnoev

We Jews who have endured so much racial discrimination in the past, should be wary of the strident calls to remove the statue of Cecil Rhodes from the UCT campus.

Instead of breaking down, we should rather build up and add statues representing all the other nations in this great land, next to that of Rhodes.

We cannot attack part of the rainbow and expect to produce a rainbow nation.

If you hate hatred then it has sucked you in and you have also become hateful, even if the initial intentions were noble.

After Nelson Mandela’s release from prison, (US President) Bill Clinton phoned him and asked if he hated those who kept him in jail. He answered no, if he hated them they would still be controlling him.

Mandela had the wisdom to know when to stand firm and fight the good fight and when to let go and forgive.

After serving more than 20 years in jail, PW Botha offered Mandela freedom if he would renounce violence (against apartheid). He refused and chose to remain in prison instead.

However, after his release, Mandela had the grace and wisdom to see the bigger picture of nation building and was willing to let go of the past and build the future. He recognised that many whites were driven to hatred by fear of the black majority. By showing that he was not a threat but a friend, Mandela was able to drastically reduce racial tensions and even prevent a possible civil war.

Much of the world expected a racial bloodbath in South Africa, but due to the wisdom of Mandela, FW de Klerk and Constand Viljoen,  as well of the goodwill of the people – black and white – we enjoyed a miraculous and peaceful transition.

Thanks to the amazing grace of the black majority and the co-operation of the mostly Afrikaans civil servants (who held the country together), did we astound the world with our new country.

Rather than remaining stuck in the past, let’s build a peaceful present. Holding on to resentments will not bring peace to ourselves or this great land, nor will it enable us to create a great country.

Mandela took the time to travel to the racist enclave of Orania to have tea with Hendrik Verwoerd’s widow and to visit a statue of Verwoerd himself.

Maybe we should place a statue of Mandela next to that of Rhodes at UCT. Would we have the grace to make them of equal size and prominence, even while we reject the cruelties of colonialism?
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Martin Zagnoev
Johannesburg