Nelson Mandelas Dream is DEAD........

Back in 1994 we in South Africa stood at the beginning of a New Dawn, a New Life and a the fulfillment of a Dream held by all South Africans.

It was a time of great euphoria where South Africans came together and became the Rainbow Nation. We held hands and sang the same song, we had the same vision and we shared Nelson Mandelas Dream.

In case you are wondering how I know what his vision was? Simply this he told me, James West was a witness to that little conversation between the Great Statesman  and little ol me. August 1994, the place was the South African High Commission in Windhoek, Namibia.

The early years were filled with ups and downs but that is so in any young democracy, just like a baby starts learning to walk, it will stumble but get up again and try again until he doesn't fall over anymore and then learns to run, once again falling over but getting up again. Always moving forward.

And then one day the child stumbled and didn't get up again, stopped moving forward, stayed in it's playpen with his friends and forgot about that Dream, forgot all the promises made, forgot about the world outside the playpen and all the people he was responsible for. All he has been doing is building his playpen into a giant palace for him and his friends at the expense of those he is responsible for.

The people suffer, they are dying from the lack of proper medical care, from the high crime rate, from the lack of food and other basic rights to which they are entitled to. But the people in the playpen can no longer hear them so caught up are they in their little world of greed.

Someday soon Nelson Mandela will pass away but I can tell you that he will not do so with a joyous heart but one filled with pain and most likely anger as well. After all he fought for the freedom of those very people in that playpen they have forgotten it all and stabbed him in the back.