Well known local singer, Pierre de Charmoy today released a song in homage to Madiba, to mark his passing.

The Salt Rock solo artist recently recorded the hauntingly beautiful song ‘Tribute to Madiba’, with the Inanda Seminary School Choir.

De Charmoy said Mandela was an incredible icon our country could be proud of.

“He promoted forgiveness and prosperity for all people moving forward, and that was what made him great.”

He said the song was available on iTunes, Rhapsody and Amazon MP3 and any profits would be donated to the Inanda Seminary.

The school itself has a long history of involvement with the African National Congress, educating many of the female leaders of the anti-apartheid movement.

One of the oldest schools for girls in South Africa it was founded in 1853 by Daniel and Lucy Lindley, an American missionary couple, as a school for black girls. When they returned home, they left the school in the hands of Reverend James Dube. Dube was the son of one of the first Christian converts at the mission. Dube was to die in 1877 but not before he had fathered John Dube who was to found a newspaper, Ohlange High School and take a leading role in creating the African National Congress.

The song was written by De Charmoy in collaboration with two other Ballito locals, Jim Brown and Giles Chaplin.

Tribute to Madiba
Painted a rainbow from your cell
Hard labour in a living hell
You fought for peace and liberty
Endured to set all people free 
If there ever was a man to change the world
Madiba it was you

Then came the day of your release
Instead of war you spoke of peace
You reached out to your jailer’s hand
For all the world a righteous man

Now the world has lost the son who could not hate
Who taught us how to love 
How to cry 
How to live our lives 

Your legacy is hard to bear
The road to freedom isn’t clear
The world will always need a man
Like you Madiba with your plan

Now the world has lost the son who could not hate
Who taught us how to love 
How to cry 
How to live our lives