As South Africa grapples with inequality and division, Mandela Day has taken on new political significance.
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Johannesburg, South Africa – Nelson Mandela Day has become the backdrop for a wider debate in South Africa over the values the former president represented, as the country grapples with inequality, economic frustration and growing divisions over how to address social problems.
That debate has been sharpened this year by the decision of March and March, a coalition of anti-immigration activists that has organised protests across South Africa in recent months, to use Mandela Day activities to inspect businesses in towns across the Eastern Cape, Mandela’s home province, and identify undocumented workers and businesses they allege are operating illegally.
