SOPHIATOWN – He wasn’t only Madiba’s carpenter; he was his disciple.
This is how Colin Fitzgerald of Sophiatown views his relationship with former president and our country’s beloved icon, Nelson Mandela.
“People expect an icon to hobnob with kings and queens, but no, he chose to lunch on his birthday with a scruffy carpenter and his apprentice (his wife Clare),” he said.
“His aura was incredible. His charisma blew people away. And the sicker he became in the latter days, the stronger that charisma became. It was as if his physical abilities lessened, but his aura grew stronger. People just wanted to sit next to him, drawn by that power, even if he didn’t say anything.”
Fitzgerald met Mandela 17 years ago because of his excellent carpenting skills.
“I am a carpenter, joiner and designer and I worked for high profile people, doing their furniture, designing and wood-work for them. I was assigned to work on the house of the new state president in 1997.”
Mandela bought his Houghton home at the time, but there was a lot of work to be done.
“I had the run of his home for six weeks, and then one day, when all the other workers had left, he strolled in with Mrs Machel by his side. I nearly had a heart attack. He said, “What an honour to meet you Colin,” and asked me to give him a tour of his own home. I did. After that, I considered myself Madiba’s man on site.”
For the Fitzgeralds, their journey with Mandela was a tale of love. “Clare’s in love with him, and so am I. His was a love story with Graça, but ours was about loving him. He was simply the best, most complete person. I’ve never met anyone like him, and I never will again.”
He loved the furniture Fitzgerald made for him. “He asked me to work directly for him, and not for the foundation. He said, “Colin, would you mind working for an old man?” I was in-house, part of his personal team. It was such a privilege. Whatever you dream of the man, he was better than that. Way better.”
Fitzgerald knew the man behind the public persona. “He had a fantastic sense of humour. He loved to set himself up and joke about himself,” he recalled with a smile.
“He was naturally surrounded by bodyguards whenever he went out, but he was mischievous, he always tried to lose the bodyguards and make them panic. He’d evade them and go into bookstores to meet other people and buy books. He told the story of how he once asked a bookstore clerk to see a limited edition book. The clerk replied, “Sir, that’s a limited edition, it’s really pricey, probably out of your league.” Madiba humoured him and played along, and then finally said, “Young man, I am the State President, I think my salary might just be able to cover it.” “
Fitzgerald says the former president had an extraordinary love for books. “I designed his study, and it was filled with books, amazing books. Madiba was so well-read. He also loved sport. In the Madiba home it was a daily battle with him and his grandchildren for the television remote. He wanted to watch sports. Very occasionally Madiba won the battle.”
Fitzgerald is still doing carpentry, and also training would-be carpenters.His business is homebound because his wife is in a wheelchair, and he stays at home to care for her.
“I have a message for Madiba’s birthday and Mandela Day,” he says.
“Madiba gave South Africans great insight into caring and love. He lived his life to help people understand other people. We have to hold his love and caring in our own hearts, and if we do, South Africa and the world will be a better place. You shouldn’t just spend 67 minutes helping people, you should spend your life doing so.”
