In the months following Dante’s arrest, Mandela was finally freed
from prison, marking the beginning of apartheid’s end, and the start of a new
chapter for South Africa.
Everyone knows the story of what happened next. Mandela became South Africa’s first
black President and called for the country to heal and embrace a future based
on equal rights and freedom for all.
And after only one term, he stepped aside in an act of incredibly
conciliatory leadership and with a genuine desire to bring together a nation
that had been so bitterly divided for so long.
But there are the other stories that are never (and will
never be) told – too numerous to count.
Stories of small acts of uncommon heroism at the hands of those who will
remain anonymous in the shadow of the Old Man, but whose individual
contributions were no less important to the ultimate success of the revolution.
As part of the Truth and Reconciliation process established
by President Mandela and brilliantly led by Archbishop Desmund Tutu, many of
the combatants on both sides were granted immunity. Dante was one of those whose acts against the apartheid
government were wiped clean. It
was also through this process that it finally became known what had been
feared; that Dante’s two closest compatriots had been secretly detained and
executed by the government. A fate
he could have just as easily suffered.
As part of the nation’s healing process, the perpetrators received
immunity because they came forward to freely admit their actions.
Following Mandela’s election and years as President, many of
the other well but lesser known leaders of the Struggle went on to high profile
roles in the country, either in government or business. Dante served as a senior official in
the Mandela Administration, often taking on – with great relish – some of the
more difficult issues facing the country in its period of transition. After his public service, Dante became
a successful corporate executive and, per his usual level of tenacity, moved up
quickly. Despite his success in
public affairs and business, Dante eventually chose a quieter path and faded
from public life.
The Great Struggle ended, but there is much more work to be
done. Dante served the cause and
his fellow citizens with distinction, and in relative anonymity. Whether he feels a sense of honor for
his role in bringing down a regime built on a repulsive injustice and
inequality, I can’t say. But I
suspect that Dante, like most true heroes, does not see himself as such. What I do know is that Dante is
unabashedly patriotic and proud of his country. He beams when he talks of its natural beauty, the strength
of its citizens, and its potential to be among the league of the world’s most
admired nations.
Despite his pride in the South Africa of today and the
promise of its tomorrow, I believe that for Dante, growing up in a society predicated
on inequality and injustice has left scars that may never fully heal. At times, it is clear that Dante is
still trying to find his own peace, even though the war for which he fought so
hard is now long over, and I imagine that he is not alone.
The story of Dante or the countless other foot soldiers of
the revolution may never be made into a Hollywood blockbuster, but their
contributions are no less worthy of our admiration and praise. I for one am honored and proud to call
him my friend.
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