When I graduated from the University of Pretoria last year, Mandela was there. It was his grandson’s graduation as well. No-one knew he was coming; his arrival was very quiet and unassuming. We were waiting in the auditorium, everyone talking and laughing, when suddenly someone whispered, “Why is Nelson Mandela at our graduation?” I turned to look and there he was, shuffling down the aisle with his usual smile. He and his small party, there were just four of them, settled into the front row. One girl, when her name was called, walked forward past the podium to edge of the stage where she smiled at Mandela, clasped her hands together and said, “Thank you.” The rest of the audience, slightly surprised, started clapping. I think many of us graduates secretly wished we could do the same thing. It was a very special occasion.

During the early nineties I was deputising as the head of the country’s first black-owned bank, FutureBank. Whilst at the golf course one day, I received a frantic phone call on my ‘brick’ cellphone from my PA to say that I had been invited to attend a dinner at the Presidency with Madiba, in recognition of a donation we had made to a cause close to his heart. Shaking (rather sweaty) hands with this man was like shaking hands with history itself and my wife and I were both astounded by his amazing humility and his larger than expected stature. We had a quick, stiff, Scotch in his lounge before dinner and exchanged pleasantries with the dozen or so other guests. Then we moved to the dining room, with the guests visibly jockeying for the seat closest to the great man. A couple arrived slightly late and there was no place > read more

- Madiba was visiting the University of the Western Cape...I was a student at the time and a Student Voice (Varsity paper) reporter. We were sent to cover his visit. We were not allowed inside the venue for his discussions, but as he came out of the room. I was the first person he saw. And without fear I asked a few questions, shook his hand. My photographer was suppose to take the photo, but he didn’t as he was awe struck. Madiba referred me to Alan Boesak to answer some of my questions. - Madiba visited Manenberg in 1994 just before the first elections. I covered this event as a reporter for the local community newspaper, the Cape Docta. I again shook his hand and asked him some questions around his election promises. He again visited Manenberg in 1996 to assist a local candidate to win the elections. > read more

To me Madiba is life,hope,and opportunity “I detest racialism, because I regard it as a barbaric thing, whether it comes from a black man or a white man".