After Mandela nonfiction reading response

Nonfiction Reading Response

I just read the article, “After Mandela: the country has come a long way since the end of apartheid, but has it lived up to Nelson Mandela’s example?” written by Patricia Smith. This article explains (after the death of Nelson Mandela) how much this man did for his country and beliefs and how much he improved in this country, as well as introducing the idea that the presidents after Mandela have not lived up to his reputation as a leader. After all Mandela did for African American rights and how drastically he changed the lifestyle of thousands of people, I could see how it would be hard to live up to him. Patricia Smith is obviously trying to show the readers that Nelson Mandela was a memorable man who did many things for his country that he deserves to be remembered for, yet Smith also mentions the fact that presidents who have came after Mandela haven’t done as good of a job as him.

Nelson Mandela was a great man. Patricia Smith wrote this article to show us what he has done and what he is famous for- why people look up to him, why he has such a good reputation. Nelson Mandela was put in jail for 27 years for fighting for his strong beliefs in African American rights and trying to end the white rule over the majority of blacks in the country. “For most of the 20th century, black South Africans lived under apartheid a government run system of rigid racial segregation”, says Smith in the article. Apartheid had ruined the lives of so many people just because of their race- they weren’t allowed to participate in most things anyone should have the right to do. While he was in jail, nothing big happened to change the way things were in their country and segregation was still going on. When Mandela was released, although he had been severely punished for doing it before, once again Mandela kept fighting for the rights of African Americans. He believed so strongly in this that he kept protesting no matter the punishment. Apartheid ended in 1991 and in 1994, the country created a new government- electing Nelson Mandela as president. For the whole time Mandela lead the country, a lot changed and improved. He was a very productive president and an inspiration to so many people because of the change and happiness he gave to so many people who didn’t deserve to be treated the way they were.

Patricia Smith also made it clear that not only was Nelson Mandela a great man but she also made the statement that, the presidents after Mandela cannot compare to the job and the change Mandela brought to their country. After Mandela’s presidency ended, Smith says “there have been many disappointments too”. The unemployment rate is getting higher and higher, and according to a search done by the World Bank, 85 percent of black south africans are still poor, whereas 87 percent of whites are a part of the middle and upper class. As said by the author, their democracy is settled, but “the presidents who have followed Mandela have failed to live up to his example.”. She also adds on the fact that health isn’t great there and that the current president is being accused of corruption and rape. William Gumede, a south african scholar also says, “there has really been a failure in passing the torch”. I would imagine that this is just adding onto the fact that Mandela was a one of a kind leader who was willing to fight for what he believed in which made him an inspirational figure.

In conclusion, this article supported the life of Nelson Mandela. Patricia Smith wrote this article in appreciation of him, and also to discuss the present leaders that have taken after him in presidency. This article definitely made me realise that Mandela was a great man and deserves this recognition and even though we may not be able to find anyone like him, he changed history. Without him we could have still had segregation and apartheid could be still happening.