Lessons from Madiba’s life for the environmental movement

The environmental movement seeks to create a fundamental transformation in the way that humanity engages with our ecological world. We do this to ensure a more just and equitable planet; not only amongst those that currently inhabit the planet, but also for our children and our children’s children. And so, perhaps there are some lessons to be gained as we reflect on the life of that great leader and humanitarian, Nelson Mandela, whose life was dedicated to social transformation, justice and equity. I very humbly provide some thoughts on this topic and would love to hear more contributions.

Simple people can live big lives

As a young herd boy looking after the sheep and calves in the grassy hills of Qunu, Rolihlahla Mandela could scarcely have imagined that he would become one of the most celebrated leaders of our time. There must have been many times when his humble rural roots would have served as the perfect excuse for not rising up to a challenge. And yet, each time he rose, guided by his unrelenting resolve and integrity. The environmental challenge requires each of us to rise beyond our own perceived limitations of ourselves.

Being a ‘trouble maker’ is okay!

Translated colloquially, Nelson Mandela’s birth name, Rolihlahla, means ‘trouble maker’. In choosing this name, his father would have had no idea that this boy would throughout his life revel in challenging the status quo, and go on to lead one of greatest social revolutions of our time. But, even after he became the president of South Africa, he continued to challenge mainstream thinking. His decision to don the Springbok rugby jersey, considered a symbol of apartheid South Africa, during the 1995 Rugby World Cup flew in the face of his advisors. And yet, this became a masterstroke in uniting a fragile country trying to heal deep wounds.

Sacrifice comes with the territory

Now I am not advocating that any one of us should have to spend 27 years in prison for our cause or that we should swop our comfortable offices for the hell of a limestone quarry. Resilience of that magnitude is reserved for very special people. The point here is simply that: The environmental cause will not always be an easy walk in the park… Achieving great things requires commitment and sacrifice. Things will not always go our way, and sometimes we need to dig deep and  be ready for the hard slog.

Don’t fall in love with your tactics…

When a comparison was drawn between the South African freedom struggle and Ghandi’s ‘peaceful resistance’; Mandela was clear he considered ‘peaceful resistance’ to be a tactic and not an unwavering ideology. The decision to move beyond ‘peaceful protest’ was an extremely complex and difficult decision for the African National Congress. But ultimately, for Mandela, appropriate tactics are chosen based on their context and their ability to deliver the outcome. And changing tactics is  also okay…

Never be intimidated by your goals

In reflecting back on the enormity of the challenge that he and his compatriots overcame, Mandela remarked: “It always seems impossible, until it’s done”. These words should give us great strength every time our efforts seem so small against the task at hand…

Ultimately, it’s all about people

Despite accumulating a string of academic qualifications and rubbing shoulders with the world’s most famous elite, Mandela was always most comfortable with ordinary people. His love of people, dancing, music and his booming laughter were infectious. Nelson Mandela realised that ultimately his connection with ordinary human beings was at the basis of everything he wished to achieve.