Zelda La Grange: Mandela Would Be Proud of President Ramaphosa #SendMe

Zelda La Grange, former private secretary to the late President Nelson Mandela, says Mandela would be “incredibly proud” of President Cyril Ramaphosa, and that “we should all walk very tall” from now on.

In a post on facebook last night, after the State of the Nation Address (SONA), Zelda said: “We commit with you Mr President. We commit to help you achieve your goals and to support you. You have restored dignity and pride to all South Africans tonight. Things are possible at last. We will work as if we have been sent to lend a helping hand. We should all walk very tall from tonight.”

She ended her #SONA2018 message with #SendMe – referencing the Hugh Masekela song that Ramaphosa quoted at the end of his speech.

On Thursday, Zelda revealed that although she doesn’t often claim to know what Mandela’s feelings would be, she does know that he would’ve been incredibly proud to have seen Ramaphosa become President.

Zelda wrote: “I met Mr Ramaphosa in the late 90s with Madiba. By then I had heard the story from Madiba from before the 94 elections, and how he was Madiba’s candidate as Deputy. Madiba wanted him as Deputy with the expectation that [Ramaphosa] would succeed him. At an ANC officials’ meeting Madiba proposed the name of his deputy but his decision was overturned by the majority of the officials to nominate Mr Mbeki as deputy.

“Madiba was disappointed but when I asked him about it, he always said “Cyril is young, he has time and he will return to politics”. I don’t often claim to know what Madiba’s feelings would be about current issues, only to draw from how he dealt with matters in my experiences with him.

“Today, I can unequivocally say, that he would be incredibly proud of President Ramaphosa. At last, his candidate became President. It’s quite sad for me, but in a good way.

“I became so fond of Mr Ramaphosa that I always called him “My President”.

“By the way, I wrote exactly this in my memoir. I wish him all the success he deserves. I have no doubt that he will lead by example and restore dignity to the highest office of the land. He will make mistakes but I am committed to supporting his efforts.

“Today I am a very proud South African. #RIP Madiba #RIP Ahmed Kathrada #RIP every person who sacrificed for us in any way to get here today.”