Tomorrow, we mark the twentieth anniversary of the release of Nelson Mandela from prison.
On this historic occasion, every South African should pause to reflect on the achievements of the last twenty years. And, unavoidably, we should stop to think about what we could have done better, where problems remain, and how we can solve them.
This will be the central task of President Zuma in his State of the Nation address tomorrow. I look forward to seeing the substance of his speech beyond the symbolism of Nelson Mandela's release.
What we must not allow is for the symbolism to trump the substance. This is clearly what the timing and theme of the State of the Nation address ('Celebrate the legacy of Mandela - Contribute to Nation-Building') is designed to do.
The great irony is that the more the ANC diverges from Nelson Mandela's vision, the more it seeks to appropriate it. The illusion is created that the ANC under Jacob Zuma is the same as the ANC under Nelson Mandela.
It is not.