CDD, Labour, others extol Mandela’s democratic legacy

•Say xenophobic attacks on fellow Africans betray ideals of justice, reconciliation, pan-African solidarity

Prominent democracy advocates, labour leaders, academics and civil society actors have paid glowing tribute to the enduring democratic legacy of the late South African icon, Nelson Mandela, while condemning the resurgence of xenophobic attacks against fellow Africans in South Africa, saying the violence runs contrary to everything the anti-apartheid leader stood for.

The speakers, who participated in the 2026 Nelson Mandela International Day Public Lecture organised by the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, argued that Mandela’s lifelong commitment to justice, reconciliation, democracy and pan-African solidarity remains a moral compass for Africa.

They warned that recent attacks on African migrants represent a dangerous departure from those values.

Speaking during the event, President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Christopher Piwuna, represented by the Chairman of ASUU, Nasarawa State University chapter, Comrade Zubairu Abdulmumini, said Mandela’s greatest legacy was his extraordinary commitment to reconciliation after spending 27 years in prison under the apartheid regime.

He said rather than seek vengeance against those who denied him his freedom, Mandela embraced dialogue, forgiveness and nation-building, demonstrating that genuine democracy can only flourish where justice is balanced with reconciliation and where human dignity transcends race, ethnicity and nationality.

“No aspect of Mandela’s legacy speaks more powerfully to our present moment than his remarkable capacity for reconciliation,” he said.

The ASUU president noted that Mandela’s example places an enduring responsibility on African intellectuals, workers, students and democratic movements to defend truth, resist oppression and promote scholarship that advances justice, equality and accountable governance.

He said universities must remain centres of independent thought where knowledge serves the people, instead of narrow political or foreign interests.

Against that backdrop, ASUU expressed deep concern over recurring xenophobic attacks targeting fellow Africans in South Africa, including Nigerians, describing the violence as a direct contradiction of Mandela’s vision of a democratic, inclusive and Pan-African South Africa.

“These attacks diminish the sacrifices of those who fought and died to end apartheid and weaken the bonds of African solidarity that sustained South Africa throughout its liberation struggle,” he said.

“ASUU unequivocally condemns all forms of xenophobia and identity-based violence. There can be no justification for attacking fellow Africans who seek lawful livelihoods, contribute to economic development and share a common history of struggle against colonialism and racial oppression. Africa’s strength lies in unity, mutual respect and shared prosperity,” he said.

Panellists at the event also echoed similar sentiments, insisting that the current wave of hostility against African migrants reflects a betrayal of Mandela’s democratic ideals and the spirit of African brotherhood that inspired the continent’s support for South Africa during the anti-apartheid struggle.

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They also called for a review of Nigeria’s foreign policy to ensure stronger protection of the country’s citizens and economic interests in bilateral engagements with other nations.

South African trade union leader, Zwelinzima Vavi, said Mandela would never have endorsed actions that humiliate or persecute fellow Africans living in South Africa.

Instead, he attributed the recurring violence to deep-rooted socio-economic challenges, including corruption, poor governance, widening inequality and exploitation, which, according to him, have continued to pitch poor South Africans against poor migrants.

“Let us reject xenophobia. Let us reject anything that divides Africa. Let us reaffirm the spirit of Africa and the enduring legacy of Nelson Mandela,” Vavi urged.

Also speaking, labour activist Comrade Hauwa Mustapha blamed the growing hostility towards migrants on what she described as a dual identity crisis among some South Africans, arguing that many now see themselves as detached from the broader African identity that Mandela championed.

Executive Secretary of the Organisation of Trade Unions of West Africa (OTUWA), Comrade John Odah, who is also CDD Board Chairman, said this year’s commemoration was particularly significant because it coincides with renewed attacks against African migrants, with Nigerians among those most affected.

According to him, the violence has not only inflicted pain on innocent victims but has also damaged South Africa’s international image and undermined the ideals of African unity for which Mandela devoted his life.

“It is difficult to explain away the disturbing images of migrants fleeing South Africa to their countries of origin and the painful stories they recount about the maltreatment they suffered,” Odah said.

He, however, commended thousands of South Africans who have rejected xenophobia and mobilised humanitarian support for displaced migrants, including the provision of blankets and other relief materials to victims forced to sleep outdoors during the harsh winter season.

The speakers unanimously maintained that the most fitting tribute to Mandela is not merely to celebrate his memory every July 18, but to uphold the democratic values, tolerance, justice and Pan-African solidarity that defined his life and leadership.