By Nuzulack Dausen
As the world continues to mourn the loss of the world icon
Nelson Mandela, many things emerges as point of unity as well as disunity. The
Tuesday boo by South Africans to their president Jacob Zuma during the Mandela
memorial service in Johannesburg can confirm my fear.
Contrary to what ought to be, the majority attended in FNB Stadium
to mourn the departed hero showed more love to the US president Barack Obama than
their loved, majority voted president. They
cheered Obama more than his host.
Like many spectators in the world who watched the event through
the live television coverage, I felt something went wrong in a big and historic
event like that—which was attended by more than 100 global leaders.
What caused South Africans to boob their president? Perhaps
the pledges by the speakers in the service to follow Mandela’s path--angered
many by the facts that their government failed to copy Madiba.
Read more: Hundredsof world leaders gather in Johannesburg's FNB Stadium for Nelson Mandela'smemorial service
While the Mandela’s death unites the world, South Africans
seems not united to their government. The boo points out some few weaknesses of
the Zuma’s government that do not reflect the real picture of the Mandela legacy.
People have showed a public discontent with their government.
The rampant corruption and frequent violation of human rights
reported in the country have at least disconnected Mandela’s government and that
of Mr Zuma. Perhaps this could be a reason why majority booed Mr Zuma during
his speech on Tuesday.
The allegations facing the head of state on using tax payers’
money to refurbish luxurious houses continue to triumatise South Africans especially
when they remember Madiba. A recent public
prosecutor’s report revealed that he spent $20 million in state funds expanding
his private home outside Durban, including setting up a large swimming pool. However
the government officials have justified that the money was spent on security
upgrades.
Read more: Outrageover South Africa president Jacob Zuma's $30 million retirement home renovationbill
Mandela--in a straight language--was selfless; he respected
human rights by pioneering equality, dignity, unity and love that’s why the
world crying for his loss.
South Africans fears what will happen after the death of
their father. They are worried on the way the government manage public
resources.
Also, the
extra-judicial killings of the mine workers in Marikana a year ago pose another
question on Zuma’s administration. It neither suggests Mandela’s legacy nor
propose a better leadership that South Africans would like to have.
The government is still struggling to convince the world that
the massacre was not carried by police deliberately instead was a defensive
mechanism against the angry mine workers. It is sad to lose 34 people whose lives
cuts short by their guards just because were struggling for their rights.
Apart from that, the South African unemployment rate is
higher as it suggests the presence of inequality between those who have and
not. Currently the unemployment rate stands at 25.6% according to the country's
national statistics service.
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| A section of mourners attended the special memorial service for the late Nelson Mandela at FNB Stadiumon Tuesday. Many leaders who paid tribute to the fallen hero asked the world to follow the Madiba's path. Photo: Courtesy of AP. |
Such acts return events that Madiba was against with. They
are simply a manifestation of torture, segregation and inequality that the
country had suffered during the Apartheid era.
Currently, Pretoria government has tough job to retain the
Mandela’s image: to end the ever growing corruption, cleaning all elements of
Apartheid policy, and lowering inequality. This will puts the government in a pure
democratic world that human beings would like to be.
