This is an extract from a speech delivered by Mayor De Lille at the unveiling of Nelson Mandela bust on Freedom Day at the Cape Town City Hall.
“I greet you all in the name of peace, democracy and freedom.”
That was the greeting of our beloved former President, the late Tata Madiba, here on the steps of City Hall on February 11, 1990, during his first speech following his release from prison.
That day this city centre was filled with exuberance and hope, as his words signalled the start of our journey on the path to democracy.
Cape Town has always had a special association with Nelson Mandela, who felt a close affinity for the city in which he spent 27 years of his life as a prisoner along with his close friend, Ahmed Kathrada who spent 26 of those years in prison with Madiba.
On the day of his release he said: “I send special greetings to the people of Cape Town, this city which has been my home for three decades. Your mass marches and other forms of struggle have served as a constant source of strength to all political prisoners.”
Our mission is to build an inclusive city, one which recognises our history and ensures that this is a place where we can remember the past, but also build a better future.
A city in which we look forward to great things, while honouring the leaders of the past and the examples they set.
As such we are proud to honour Tata Madiba with the unveiling of this sculpture today, on Freedom Day.
This artwork, by sculptor Bill Davis, was donated to the City of Cape Town and we believe it is fitting to honour Tata Madiba by placing it here in this iconic venue, where he made his first speech as a free man.
On the anniversary of the first Freedom Day in 1995, Tata Madiba said that April 27, 1994 marked the crossing of the divide; from a past of conflict and division to the possibility of unity and peace; from inequality to equality; and from a history of oppression to a future of freedom.
We have undoubtedly made great strides to overcome the legacy of our unjust past, but as we all know, there is no short cut to making South Africa the country of our dreams.
In Cape Town we are doing all we can to promote redress and reconciliation and build an inclusive, unified city.
In conclusion, today we honour the father of our nation for his lifetime of dedication and sacrifice. We will forever be grateful and indebted to him. I believe that we can repay our debt to him by living our freedom in the way he envisioned it.
PHOTO CREDIT: Bruce Sutherland/CoCT
