A statue of former South African president Nelson Mandela is seen holding a Black Lives Matter placard in Parliament Square, central London after a demonstration outside the US Embassy, on June 7, 2020. Mandela Day should renew our commitment to building an economy that creates decent work, strengthens public institutions and shares prosperity more equitably, says the writer.
Dr. Reneva Fourie
Every year on 18 July, Mandela Day inspires South Africans to dedicate 67 minutes to serving their communities in honour of the country’s inaugural democratic President’s selfless commitment to justice, human dignity and solidarity.
The gesture carries significant symbolic value, but the spirit of Mandela Day demands a deeper determination to rebuild South Africa.
The persistence of exceptionally high unemployment, entrenched inequality, widespread economic insecurity and pervasive social violence continues to affect communities across the country, requiring that we demonstrate the same courage, determination and collective purpose that defined the struggle against apartheid.
