Mandela gets Congress award

Former South African President Nelson Mandela was awarded yesterday the Philippine Congress’ highest decoration for being one of the world’s "greatest political and moral leaders."

His granddaughter, Nandi Mandela, received the Congressional Medal of Achievement on his behalf in a ceremony at the residence of Speaker Jose de Venecia in Makati City.

"We are honoring Nelson Mandela, one of the greatest political and moral leaders ... for creating a nation founded on reconciliation and fraternity of white and black people, and for his heroic role in leading the African National Congress that fought apartheid and fought for human rights and equality for the black peoples of the world," De Venecia said.

The same award has also been given to Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, UN Food and Agriculture Organization head Jacques Diouf, and Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi.

Nandi Mandela, who arrived at 11 a.m. yesterday at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) on a Cathay Pacific flight from Africa, said her 85-year-old grandfather had "sacrificed a lot to make peace in South Africa."

She said he hadn’t been able to accept the award in person because he had another engagement.

The third grandchild of the legendary leader and Nobel prize winner said unemployment and HIV/AIDS are the biggest problems of South Africa, which will mark the 10th anniversary of the formal end of apartheid on April 27.

Nelson Mandela became South Africa’s first black president after decades of struggle against apartheid, which divided South Africa between the ruling Afrikaner class and the native African people, who made up the larger part of the country’s population.

Mandela was imprisoned in the South African capital of Capetown in 1976 for his active protest against apartheid. He was released in 1990.

Nandi was welcomed at the airport by Ambassador to South Africa Virgilio Reyes, Transportation and Communications Undersecretary Jose Cortes and several members of the Rotary Club.

Besides receiving the Congressional Medal of Achievement for her grandfather, Nandi will also represent her grandfather at the Rotarians’ annual district conference led by Cortes.

"I brought with me a letter from my grandfather to be read before the Rotary District 3830, but I cannot tell you its content except to say that it is a message of peace," she said.

From NAIA, Nandi immediately proceeded to the residence of De Venecia to receive the award.

Former Hukbalahap Supremo and congressman Luis Taruc, a close personal friend of Mandela’s, witnessed the conferment of the award. Taruc attested to Mandela’s "spiritual leadership and global struggle for human rights and racial equality."

While her grandfather was known as a charismatic political figure in South Africa, Nandi said she is "not interested in politics like my grandfather. I am more inclined in business."

She said she is engaged in town planning and property development.

Nandi said she was sent to the Philippines to accept the Congressional Medal of Achievement on her grandfather’s behalf because she is his favorite grandchild — out of a brood of 21 grandchildren.

"We often saw my grandfather when he was behind bars because we tried to visit him as often as we could," Nandi said. However, "now that he is a free man, he is more engaged in civic activities."

Mandela, she said, now spends most of his time helping the poor, speaking with business people and looking after the welfare of the underprivileged.

She said her grandfather has dedicated his life to South Africa, adding that even if the family does not see him very often, they understand Mandela’s dedication to his work.

Divorced from his first wife, Winnie, Nelson married Gracia Machele, who is also deeply involved with work helping underprivileged children and those affected by the war in neighboring Mozambique. — Sandy Araneta