Bloemfontein - Be a smaller Madiba wherever you are, Mangaung metro mayor Thabo Manyone said on Thursday.
“Who will miss you when you leave this earth? Only our family, or not even them,” Manyone told a Mandela Day event in Bloemfontein.
University of the Free State students, Bikers for Mandela Day, officials, and volunteers helped clean residential areas in Heidedal, Mangaung, as part of Mandela Day.
Manyone said citizens did not have to be born under apartheid to feel its effects because its legacy was still visible in places.
“The dignity of people had been eroded for so many years. They do not even know that they could claim a clean environment.”
With a clean environment, people could claim back their dignity and pride as South Africans.
Referring to the students, Manyone said former president Nelson Mandela had also been young and a silly once.
“He was a normal human being.”
However, Mandela decided to take action and aspire for change and dedicated himself to this.
Madiba's part-time personal assistant Zelda la Grange told students at the Bloemfontein campus that consistent effort created change.
She shared some of the principles followed by Mandela as a statesman.
“He put a high price on honesty,” she said.
The event ended with children singing happy birthday for Mandela. - Sapa