December 21, 2013

The late Nelson Mandela has been portrayed in the mainstream media as a statesman and humanitarian without blemish. It is true that when apartheid ended and he came to power in South Africa, he did not emulate Robert Mugabe in neighbouring Zimbabwe and massacre his political opponents. Instead, he tried to ease the transition to black-majority rule by setting up the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. However, recent media reports have emphasised only one side of Mandela. CultureWatch commentator Bill Muehlenberg here provides some balance. It was not originally my intention to say anything about the passing of Nelson Mandela (1918-2013),…