On 5 December, 2013, the world stood still as it mourned the passing of a man who transcended being a statesman. 

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was that, and so much more. He left a legacy cast in iron and forged in a fire of passion for humanity. No prison cell could restrain his ideals, no sounds of suppression, intimidation or fear could silence his voice.

As mournful as we were on that sorrowful day 16 years ago, so loud we are in celebrating his life on his birthday every 18 July.

Madiba Day is a remembrance of the great man’s virtues, but also of his wisdom that we now embody. There is a West African proverb that says: ‘’When a great man dies, a library burns.’ It means that with one’s passing, knowledge is lost. 

At the NWU, we protect Madiba’s library by believing every day is Madiba Day. For us, each morning brings a new dawn of change and hope. Each day is a celebration of teaching, of learning, of innovation and empowerment.

It is often said that South Africa is a country of undervalued insight, and it is this insight – that we are stronger together than we are apart – that distinguishes us from others in the world. Madiba instilled this in us.

We honour his memory by building a medical school that will help provide health care to those in need, by having law clinics whose doors open to all, by having an animal health clinic that provides services and guidance to a community who depend on livestock for their livelihoods. We honour his memory by sharing our knowledge, by aiding forgotten entrepreneurs, by providing solutions to national problems and by building partnerships that will take our country forward.

Every graduate that leaves our halls do so having been a part of an institution that prides itself on its ethic of care, every honorary doctorate bestowed reflects our appreciation for individuals who are champions of excellence and progress. We show it through our character on the sports fields where we compete.

His passing left the world with an overwhelming sense of loss, but the impact he made continues to fill the void.

As we commemorate Madiba’s birthday, we also acknowledge the torch he passed to us, and the responsibility to carry it with dignity and humility. 

It is a duty we hold dear.

Before leaving prison, Madiba was taken by his warden for a short tour of the Western Cape, and alone he walked on the long stretches of sandy beach that face the icy Atlantic Ocean. What would he have thought as he stood there, the unspoiled vastness of creation before him, at his back a country awaiting liberation. In those moments of solitude, how would his vision for a democratic South Africa have looked?

At the NWU, it is our commitment to keep seeing that future through his eyes…and to build it.