Before her speech, the minister also thanked the ambassadors present, who earlier in the week spent a day with her and visited Emmanuel home for the disabled and aged in Matlosana. They donated blankets, TVs, stoves and other gifts. She said the kind gesture almost reduced her to tears because they did not just send the gifts.

The inspiring and didactic speech of the minister was themed “Reflections on the Value of Patriotism in Diplomacy” and highlighted the selfless sacrifices and contribution Tata Mandela made to the wellbeing of our people and broader humanity. She said honouring Mandela’s memory meant undertaking collective and individual initiatives with a view to improving the living conditions of the needy and the less privileged.

The speech also touched on the history of the defiance campaign, Tata’s speech during the Rivonia trial, the ANC and its fight against Apartheid, and South Africa’s foreign policy.

“We chose a theme that shall enable you, our esteemed audience, to further appreciate Tata Madiba’s patriotic and heroic sacrifices which culminated in a non-racial and non-sexist South Africa that has taken its rightful place in the world.

“The fight against Apartheid was an African struggle against colonialism of a special type. As part of the collective, Madiba and his generation received support and solidarity from Africans, like-minded people of the global South and those who shared our aspirations for peace and justice in other parts of the world,” she said.

Nkoana-Mashabane also paid tribute to Africa’s racing champion, Gugu Zulu who passed away before reaching the summit while he was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in his drive to raise funds for Nelson Mandela’s Children’s Fund. “Gugu embarked on this adventure not just for fun, he was doing it for a good cause to raise awareness about the Caring For Girls (Caring4Girls) sanitary pad distribution programme. He will be remembered as the champion of people in need, particularly our young girls.

Nkoana-Mashabane said North West has a rich history and provided a passage for struggle heroes to Botswana. She advised that NWU’s three campuses be taught the role the province played in the struggle. She cautioned that education provided on the Potchefstroom campus should not differ from the Mahikeng and the Vaal campuses.

“Now that we are free tertiary institutions, we must yearn to represent the South Africa of the present and the future, students who will become future leaders and take the baton with pride.

Prof. Fika Janse van Rensburg, rector of the NWU would later also remind the minister of the role NW also played in the 1800s in the Anglo-Boer war and highlighted the province’s rich history. He also pinpointed how NWU is a tertiary institution of expertise that houses students from more than 28 countries. “We don’t only want to be multicultural, but intercultural,” he said.

The minister also narrated the struggle of black people and told of how she, as a young girl, had to carry water on her head as there were no running taps.

During his vote of thanks, Van Rensburg said her memory of carrying water on her head also took him back to when he was a young boy. While he never carried water on his head, he recalls carrying it in his arms.

“I was the first person in our family to go to University. My father completed standard 6 and my mother managed to complete standard 8. Minister, you have a companion in the NWU. Let us retain our roots in history. We are all fighters of colonisation. Please do not equate white colour with colonisation. I am an African,” he said.

Different speakers posed questions to the Minister about various topics such as youth unemployment, the upsurge of terrorism, the African passport and the ignorance of some young South Africans.