Happy Birthday, Mandela — but WHAM?
by Cynthia Schweer

Johannesburg, South Africa — Last week, the people of South Africa celebrated. It was the 85th birthday of their beloved "Madiba," the clan-name by which Nelson Mandela prefers to be called in his retirement. The newspaper sellers brandished glowing headlines and full-page photos on the streets, neon shopping mall signs sent him birthday wishes, and the city of Johannesburg geared up for the weekend's star-studded bash.

It is hard to overstate the stature and respect that Mandela commands in South Africa. In fact, the emotional response his presence elicits is more akin to love than anything else, surprising to a politically jaded American observer.

Ask any South African — black or white, young or old — whom they would most like to meet, and the response will almost always be Nelson Mandela. He is known as "Papa," a much-used term of respect for elders in this country, which also reflects the idea that he is the "Father of South Africa." Mandela simultaneously symbolizes the triumphant struggle of the past while inspiring hope for the future, and his legacy continues to bind this diverse nation together, and extend beyond the borders of South Africa to the rest of the world.

As with all symbols and saints, however, there is a risk that clichés will overshadow the man. Mandela, with his enigmatic smile, has served as a near-solitary hero in the narrative of South Africa's anti-apartheid saga — a characteristic Mandela himself is quick to point out as a flaw in the story. Since the end of Mandela's presidency and the ascendancy of Thabo Mbeki to the position, many South Africans have asked themselves "What Happens After Mandela?" (a phrase so common that people abbreviate it as the WHAM question) — and found the answer lacking.

Mbeki is in many ways the anti-Mandela: more a politician than a statesman, whose anti-Western views have created social divisiveness and ingrained chronic national problems, such as the AIDS epidemic.

And though Mandela is himself not perfect, his career has always reflected a coherence of thought and action that is often severely lacking in today's politicos.

Careful to maintain the balancing act of democratic dialogue with adherence to his own view, Mandela has demonstrated a clear commitment to equality and peace, even in the face of staunch opposition. And as a man who is now free of political office, he has been careful to choose his battles while still stating his opinion — loud and clear — about the issues which he feels most strongly.

His voice, for example, was heard around the world in loud defiance of the war in Iraq. Domestically, he has been an active force in pushing for government-sponsored access to anti-retroviral drugs to combat HIV.

Mandela is hardly an idealist, though. It was his realization that pro-apartheid sentiment was deeply ingrained in South African society that allowed him to envision a peaceful reconciliation between the oppressors and the oppressed of South Africa — understanding, of course, that progress was a better social balm that retribution.

Mandela had the foresight to build a lasting agreement with the apartheid government, even with resistance among his own party. And yet there's an element of idealism there as well: To reach such a settlement, with an enemy who had kept him imprisoned for nearly three decades, required immense faith in the goodness of others.

In a world where forgiveness is often depicted as as a sign of weakness, it is this quality above all that puts Mandela's leadership on a level above the rest. South Africa's climb out of apartheid, although not devoid of bloodshed, represented one of the most peaceful transitions of government in modern history. Often described by South Africans as a "miracle," the violence-free elections were a shock to the world, and allowed the new government to take control with authority.

From an outsider's perspective, today's South Africa is one of openness and optimism. While not without its flaws, South Africa is well on its way toward creating the "rainbow nation" that it advertises, due in large part to the art of reconciliation that Mandela has practiced.

Mandela, at 85, has long held the world's moral attention. But we still have a lot to learn from him. We must insist that our current leaders possess the integrity, faith and forgiveness of Nelson Mandela. It is not too much to ask.

E-mail Cynthia Schweer at cynthia_schweer@yahoo.com.