REMEMBERING DAVID MOTSAMAYI (MANDELA) As Nelson Mandela remains in critical condition this long weekend our thoughts and prayers are still be very much with him and his family. Mandela has been both a towering symbol and down to earth operational leader of our region’s emancipation. He is, furthermore, a global icon of human decency who can be seen a transcontinental embodiment of the indigenous ethics of Ubuntu/Botho. When, just as had been envisaged in song, Nelson finally walked hand in hand with Winnie out of prison on that joyous day of 11th February 1990 (for those of us old enough to remember) it felt as if a heavy weight was being lifted off our shoulders, as well as our brothers and sisters in South Africa. The euphoria increased a few months later when Mandela began his historic post-release world tour in Gaborone. The 1980s had been an increasingly scary time throughout the region. While it was becoming clear that the Apartheid regime was in its death throes, the when and how of its final demise remained an ominous mystery. How much more death and destruction would the security thugs in Pretoria rain down on us, as well as their own people, in their increasing desperation? The 14th June 1985 SADF attack on homes throughout Gaborone-Tlokweng had, in particular, left us feeling angry, frustrated and in shock. It had not been the first such act of aggression and we had every reason to believe that our country, along with the other Front Line States, could face still worse. Indeed some months later there was another such terrorist attack in Mogoditshane. When Mandela was finally freed, the killing in his own country was sadly still far from over, but there was little question that the battle would soon be won. This conviction, and the actions that followed, transformed Mandela from a mere struggle icon into a true global statesman; a remarkable achievement for one who had been locked away for 27 years. During that time people around the world had increasingly called for his freedom. When the doors finally swung open he gave his freedom back to the world. It is also worth remembering that the story of Mandela’s long walk has crossed the paths of various other heroes in this country and elsewhere. The late Fish Keitseng and Motsamai Mpho encountered him as an ANC lawyer, before he joined them in the dock as a fellow Treason Trialist. Subsequently, in 1962, Mandela stayed in Keitseng’s home in Peleng. While some media at the time had dubbed him the “Black Pimpernel” for his daring underground activities in organizing the MK, while living in Lobatse he assumed the pseudonym “David Motsamayi”. As “Comrade Fish” would later recall: “Mandela slept there with me, and at five o’clock in the morning, he woke up. He said he wanted to go do some training. He didn’t even want to wait for tea, and he only drank some in the evening. We went on top of a big hill, Peleng Hill, crossed it, and then went by the Kanye road until we went on top of another hill near Bathoen’s siding. You know, Mandela used to eat just once a day. Also, if we stopped somewhere to rest, he used to read books. He said he was teaching himself how to be a freedom fighter. The man was always that way. I you want to cut the tree; you must first sharpen the axe. “Mandela was just staying in Lobatse with me. We spent many days together, going out training in the bush. Some of the time Max Mlonyeni would join us. One day I received a phone call, coming from Tanzania, telling me that they wanted Mandela there.” Keitseng thereafter accompanied Mandela to Tanzania via Kasane where they were assisted by Ducan Mlazie senior. Mandela’s next and final stay in Botswana was much shorter. After landing with Fish Keitseng at Kanye from Mbeya, Tanzania, on the evening of 23rd of July 1962, within two hours he had crossed through the Pioneer Border Gate. By then he knew that the enemy was hot on his trail, and indeed he was finally captured in Natal only two weeks later. Mike Dingake, among others, has also given us his precious insights from being incarcerated with Mandela on Robbin Island, were his spirit by all accounts remained indomitable. Another figure who was in contact with Madiba when he was behind bars was Frieda Matthews, by then the Gaborone based widow of Madiba’s own ANC mentor, Z.K. Matthews. The later South African born Mongwato also served as a mentor to Seretse Khama and advisor to his uncle Tshekedi, as well as drafter of the Freedom charter and Botswana’s first ambassador to the UN and USA. Mandela was for many years limited to writing but one letter every six months to a relative. Being an aunt by marriage, Frieda, whom Mandela addressed as “Rragadi Orategang”, thus became a conduit of censored but still valued contact to the outside world. May God bless and protect the Mandela family in their trying time.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Jun 2013 07:48:06 +0000
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