Message by President Jacob Zuma on the 94th Birthday of Former President Nelson Mandela
18 July 2012
Fellow South Africans,
We are joined by the world as we celebrate the life and legacy of President Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela on the occasion of his 94th birthday.
Madiba is special to South Africa in many ways. Leading from the front from the 1940s until 1994, the dawn of freedom, he inspired thousands as he relentlessly fought to bring about freedom, democracy, peace and stability in our country.
When Madiba was inaugurated as the first President of a democratic South Africa in May 1994, he immediately led the nation on the path of unity, transformation, forgiveness and reconciliation.