Student 24/7 Jul 2014 | Page 15

SA NEWS Can I lead my nation and make every day Mandela day? an essay... I Mpitse Mpitsi I can if I began by reviving the hope of that barefooted child whose foot is exposed and shows cracks as proof of his long walks to school and whose bruised feet, tortured by the hardness of the long roads he travels on a daily basis, long for comfort from a school shoe. I will save him from despair and whisper into his ears and say remember that you still have one important thing still intact and that is your freedom. I can if I begin my mission of restoring the lost hope of my nation and saving them from despair, I will start by lifting them up by sharing with them the memoirs of Nelson Mandela. When I’m done, I will use the table mountain as a podium, cease my moment, and scream viva Madiba, let’s make every day Mandela day. I can if I began by reviving the hope of the homeless man, whose faith and hope has been overclouded by his daily struggles, who spend more than 8 normal working hours at the streets robots with his neck exhausted from a lingering board sign written “help I’m jobless and homeless”. I will save him from despair and I will whisper in his ears, remind him that his life is not over and with the determination and courage he is shows by waking up every day and having to choose, without certainty, which side of town may produce his desired outcomes, I will enlighten him about the opportunities that awaits people like him….so he must start cherishing his freedom. I can if I began by reviving the hope of the breadwinner who just received a letter of retrenchment from the platinum mine. This man who now finds himself frustrated and fragile to making irresponsible decisions, one idea that could be dominating his thoughts, at the state he finds himself in, it could be the idea of resorting to crime, an idea that could be his only option if he is to maintain his family’s wellbeing. I will save him from despair and whisper into his ears and remind him he needs to make the right choices because he remains the stem of his children’s freedom. I can if I began by reviving the hope of all al children in orphanage homes, who wonder more about happy homes than their daily irritating sound of a grumbling hungry stomach. I will save them from despair and whisper into their ears and remind them not to forget that they are the special bunch of our nation and that they’re ourleaders of tomorrow and their current situation cannot be their permanent situation because dreams are reachable and better circumstances will dawn. After my speech, I hope they start realizing the opportunities accompanied by their freedom. 14 - Student 24/7 Student 24/7 - 15