EXCLUSIVE: David Cunliffe’s reflections on Mandela’s funeral (part 1)

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Mandela’s work is not done
Guest Blog from David Cunliffe, leader of the Labour Party

This morning in the grey light of a Pretoria dawn I went for a run. It was a welcome change from sitting on a plane for more than 14 hours.

I ran through the leafy quarters of the diplomatic quarter, past the manicured gardens and fences topped with iron spikes, razor wire, or high voltage electric fences.

Many were adorned with signs in memory of the loved one’s passing. Others screamed “High Risk”, “Armed Response”, “ADT Security cameras operating” in brazen yellow, and red, white and blue stripes.

There was one more forgiving sign, attached to a large rubbish bin: “Xenophobia” it stated, pointing any such thoughts into the bin.

But it was not idealists scouring those bins that morning. Black men dressed in ragged clothes were fishing through the rubbish the whites of Henry Boult Ave had thrown out. Armed with old shopping trolleys or sacks, they hoped to eke out from others’ trash the means of their own survival.

Madiba, you have left us, but your work isn’t done yet.

TDB Recommends NewzEngine.com

Apartheid was an abhorrence, legally and morally. To exclude by the colour of the skin vast portions of humanity from equal rights under the law, was worth the fight.

Never before or since have I seen my fellow New Zealanders as courageous as they were facing the baton charges and bar room brawls, as they were in 1981.

It mattered. It gave hope to Nelson Mandela and the freedom fighters of the ANC that their struggle was not being ignored, and would not be forgotten.

As a passionate rugby fan, like so many South Africans, the tension between social justice and sport hit a raw nerve few others could understand.

But Madiba, you knew that freedom from oppressive laws and constitution was only ever the first step. After all the right to ‘dine at the Ritz’ means nothing if the citizens cannot pay the bill. And with the 25 per cent unemployment of today’s South Africa, that means most don’t.

What apartheid began, trickle-down economics and inequality are continuing. It is up to us now to demand justice – a fair go for all.

10 COMMENTS

      • re: Don Mackinnon Parliment

        your comment on the 6 o’clock news.

        when asked why John Minto was not in the NZ delegation to the funeral and farewell to the great man and Rangatira Nelson Mandela. “John Minto was a man of his time,but i dont think he is relevant anymore” -Mackinnon

        These very words go right to the heart of all that Nelson Mandela stood,lived and died for.

        What relevance you had then you obviously still strongly believe you have now,but not John Minto?

        The name John Minto will forever be relevant in thehistory of the struggle to end aparthied in South Africa.

        You SIr think not,you have said so.Oh Dear,how wrong you are.John Minto as you and i know was not alone in the struggle to free Nelson Mandela .nor was Sir Robert Muldoon alone.you will know you were there,you still are in opposition

        to John Minto and his anti aparthhied involvement.all people were relevant to Nelson Mandela regardless of thier side in political divides.At this poignant moment dare i say,in the history of man i find your commentregarding the freedom fighter John Minto sad in the extreme.regarding your words on your view of John MInto, i have 1 question for you Sir Don.

        The names of many courageous New Zealanders come to mind at this time.I will mention here just one. the late Sonja Davies.this great New Zealander Grandmother,Mother,Daughter,sister a woman who devoted her life for the underpriviledged in society,a woman who stod side by side with John Minto,Hone Harawira,Tim Shadbolt,Kevin Hague,Ruth First,Helen Suzman and Graham Mourie.your coments pertaining to the irrelevance of John Minto and all of the above. how can they not ?

        Nelson Mandela stood for reconcilliation and unity,Sadly you and your delegation to his final farewell does not reflect these noble qualities.You have achieved many things during your time walking the corridors of power as politicians in the National Party an ambassador for this and a diplomat for that to name a few you have been elevated to the giddy heights as a knight of the realm a high honour indeed.No such acolades for John Minto only abuse and denial of his achievements in the face of great odds.

        In the Rangatira Nelson Mandela’s own words on hearing the news of the struggle taking place in the streets and playing fields of NZ lead by John Minto to halt the tour.

        “On Robin Island a ray of light entered our dark cell.”

        I have only this to add Sir if Nelson Mandela could speak from the grave,and he was asked the question is John Minto still relevant? Do you believe Sir he would say no? as you have done

        Let me finish by saying what i think he would say as to your view of John Minto’s relevance.

        “In our struggle for equality John Minto was indeed relevant to us all,he is a relevant today as he was then and will forever be!”

        Ti Hei Mauri Ora. Pai Marire

        P.S. were there empty seats on the delegations plane flight to durban?

  1. South Africa under the apartheid regime was not a pretty place if you were not white. Laws were passed that prevented coloured and black people (as they were then crudely described) from enjoying the same rights as white people, and indeed one another.

    The fundamental distinction was ethnicity.

    Any reasonable person is offended by the notion of laws that prevent an ethnic group from exercising rights that they may have before the Courts of Justice.

    Why is it that we, as a nation, do not hang our heads in shame and total embarrassment at the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011?

    I’ll tell you why: because we, as New Zealanders, think Maori are nothing but a bunch of thieving, whinging trouble makers.

    We should feel embarrassed to walk amongst the mourners of Nelson Mandella while we applaude the passage of legislation like this.

    • “I’ll tell you why: because we, as New Zealanders, think Maori are nothing but a bunch of thieving, whinging trouble makers.

      Speak for yourself – this crude psychoanalysis of the electorate is a pretty brazen attempt at a thread hijack. I guess we’re to assume you’re in favour of private property rights in the foreshore and seabed, then?

  2. Thank you David, for recognising the abhorrence of neoliberalism and trickle down economics in South Africa. Now please recognise that we are still suffering from the first ACT government at home in Aotearoa. How about a Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Parker, Goff, Jones,…….?

  3. Kua mutu, kua timata. As one thing ends, another begins. The end of apartheid was just the beginning of the struggle for freedom and equity in SA. As Mandela’s life ends, we await the beginning of the next big social movement and shift in power within that country, and the next generation leader(s) that will come to personify it.

    A great post, David. Kia kaha.

    Having said that, can I assume that Nat Rad got it wrong when they reported you as saying that you had enjoyed the company of Bolger and McKinnon as part of the delegation? These two were pro-tour in 81 – the people we were fighting against. Are you so sure that their values have shifted enough so that they would see the bigger picture if faced with a similar situation now? And don’t let’s forget that these guys push the trickle-down theory whenever they get a chance, even though they must know by now that they are pushing it uphill. They are the authors of a lot of inequality and misery here in Aotearoa/NZ.

  4. I believe that some comparisons between apartheid and nz are justified, Maori have often been discriminated against in NZ in a meaningful way. Getting a loan from a bank has been very difficult for Maori for a lot of the last century. One of the most disgraceful times was after the second world war when Maori soldiers who had proven their valour in battle were refused loans by banks that were given freely to their pakeha counterparts. Maori have consistenly been let down by their pakeha brothers many times, the culmination of which I am convinced is the reason for current socioeconomic statistics. We might not have had a apartheid law in this country but in 1950 if you needed a loan there might have as well been.

    So what you say? Well if you own a family farm do you think you would own it if at some stage your relatives weren’t given a loan? This is one of the reasons Maori families have been unable to generate wealth. Many Maori are hard workers and thrive on it, they have just had huge barriers in front of them when it comes to bussiness ownership.

    Sorry to rant but history matters, racism in NZ exists and it’s insidious.

  5. I left England in 1969 to come and live in NZ one stop on the boat trip was into Capetown. And Capetown in 1969 was a scary scary place for a 14 year old visitor, all the police carried machine guns, And while I was there they used them. My father asked a cop what happened (thinking robbery or some other ‘big’ crime) Oh he said ” The Keffer should not use a white toilet” and for that they fucking shot him. I don’t know what happened to him after they dragged him off. We just went back to the Ship thoroughly scared, and stayed there until we sailed.

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