The Nelson Mandela Foundation honoured and celebrated the life and legacy of a towering figure in the global struggle for civil rights, human dignity, and justice, reverend Jesse Louis Jackson.

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They paid tribute by hosting an event, attended by dignitaries, on the evening of March 6.

Chairperson of the Nelson Mandela Foundation Dr Naledi Pandor was pleased that dignitaries and individuals could join the foundation in marking the life of service and the indelible contribution to justice and equality of the recently departed civil rights leader. “The Nelson Mandela Foundation is currently implementing a three-year strategic programme, under the theme: Rolihlahla, meaning making good trouble.

“We recognise that the globe is confronted by deeply complex and dangerous circumstances which require men, women, and youth to provide leadership by making good trouble, as Nelson Mandela did.”

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Pandor added that Mandela strongly believed that human beings exist, not merely to live, but to do things and to make a difference. “We acknowledge that, while Mandela utilised the making good trouble call, and urged us to shake the tree of liberty, he joined a leader who had originally made that call for the need for people to make good trouble. John Lewis was the co-leader of the civil rights movement and worked along reverand Jessie Jackson and reverand Martin Luther.”

She noted that the civil rights movement in the United States of America played an important role in the international anti-apartheid solidarity. The First Deputy Secretary-General of the ANC, Nomvula Mokonyane, noted that President Cyril Ramaphosa flew to the US to celebrate Jackson’s life. “We are gathered here to celebrate the life of a fighter who never stayed silent when people were hurting. A fighter who walked with comrade Mandela, who drew fire from Martin Luther King, who carried the spirit of Oliver Tambo and Rose Parks.”

@caxtonjoburgnorth WATCH: First Deputy Secretary-General of the ANC Nomvula Mokonyane signs and leaves a tribute in a book for the Jackson family. Video: Asanda Matlhare #Rosebank #ANC ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North

ANC’s long-serving activist and diplomat Barbara Masekela said it was fitting that the foundation paid tribute to the towering figure. “Today’s memorial service is something that Mandela would’ve done himself, because he had an abiding admiration and respect for reverand Jessie Jackson, whom he considered his son and his leader. It was not surprising that he was the first of our brethren from the US to arrive in South Africa when Mandela was released from jail, because he supported Mandela in every journey he took.”

The evening ended with guests signing and leaving a tribute in a book for the Jackson family.

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