Gayton McKenzie says he has learned much since time in jail

The Minister of Sport, Art and Culture Gayton McKenzie says both white and black people have failed Madiba.

McKenzie delivered the keynote address on International Nelson Mandela Day on Wednesday, hosted by the Nelson Mandela Museum in partnership with the Freedom Park Heritage Site.

“The first thing I am going to do is every school in this country must teach the children who Nelson Mandela is and I will meet the minister of education about it.

Madiba principles discouraged crime

“Every institution must be taught. I am also going to speak to the minister of correctional services because there must be lessons in jail about Nelson Mandela, then they will have fewer people coming out of jail with the intentions of a life of crime,” he said.

The event was attended, among others, by Mamodupi Mohlala-Mulaudzi from Univen, Professor Bheki Mngomezulu from Nelson Mandela University and Youth Man’s Christian Association CEO Marcus van Wyk, former deputy president Baleka Mbete and Ndileka Mandela from the Nelson Mandela Museum Council.

McKenzie said he initially felt Mandela stabbed people in the back when he spoke about reconciliation and working with white people.

“I was very disappointed,” he said. However, McKenzie’s view of racism, especially toward white people, changed after he was released from jail and started doing motivational speeches at schools.

He overheard his motivational speaker coach standing up for him against a colleague who judged him for his criminal background and quoted Mandela and Ubuntu.

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“Nelson Mandela is the best thing that happened to us,” said McKenzie.

“My call is for each and every one to find the Nelson Mandela inside you. So many of us have moved away from the Madiba inside of us.

“South Africa has walked away and failed Madiba. Freedom Park has failed Madiba, my department has failed Mandela and the government and its citizens, businesses, white people and black people have failed Nelson Mandela.

“Mandela would have been ashamed if he saw South Africa today,” he said.

Forgiveness extended

McKenzie told the guests his life story, which included joining a gang as a teenager, going to jail at age 20, being released and later forgiving Mandela.

“People have forgiven me because Nelson Mandela taught us forgiveness. I am the product of the kindness of strangers. I am who I am because there lived a man called Nelson Mandela,” he said.

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McKenzie, who described Mandela as South Africa’s North Star, said people questioned why he would donate 100% of his ministerial salary to charity.

“I’m embarrassed about my life of crime. I have lived a life nobody should live. People don’t understand why I don’t take a salary as a minister. It’s because I owe this country so much, for me it’s an absolute pleasure to serve this country,” he said.

McKenzie said if President Cyril Ramaphosa phoned him tomorrow and offered him a different department, he would refuse because he believed he could change things through his department.