Launch of the new Nelson Mandela-pioneered book is a success
HOUGHTON – Nelson Mandela Foundation chief executive officer, Sello Hatang, shares his thoughts on the launch on the new book, Dare Not Linger: The Presidential Years.
Guests and admirers were welcomed to the launch of the new Nelson Mandela-pioneered book titled, Dare Not Linger: The Presidential Years, at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houghton on 17 October.
The foundation was founded by Mandela in 1999 with the vision of contributing to a more just and equal society.
It was within these same walls that the book, documenting Mandela’s years in office, would be proverbially launched 19 years to the day from when the manuscript began to take form.
The book drew praise during the official launch proceedings from Sello Hatang, chief executive officer of the foundation.
He said the occasion drew semblance with the dream of what Mandela wanted to build as part of his active contribution to society.
Photo: Tshepiso Mametela
Hatang, who took over from Achmat Dangor in June 2013, waxed lyrical on the importance of the book in providing sought-after answers on who Mandela was and the values for which he stood for during and post his presidential tenure. “The most critical thing to remember is all of us have a responsibility by delivering the dream that Madiba had when he was president. And I think that’s the key to why we’re doing the book and why we decided to complete the project that he started,” Hatang said.
He said any fan or skeptic of Madiba would be mesmerised by that which they learn while paging through the book.
“The book perfectly encapsulates who Madiba was as a person as well as what he stood for. One thing I can tell the reader or even the prospective reader is all of us thought that Madiba was a figurehead of a president. But what you get from the book is that Madiba also participated actively in the presidency. And so it is important that we remember that.
“Whenever we think of Madiba, we should think of him as chief executive of his own office.”
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