Nelson Mandela Archives - My New Old Self

Youth tell Mandela era elders: Shut up! 1

Oct

7

2016

There’s a joke about the alumni of an elite South African boys school that poses this question: “How do you know if someone went to…?” The answer: “They tell you.” There’s a similar joke now doing the rounds: “How do you know if someone was in The Struggle?” Fighting apartheid used to be something to brag ...

Happy 21st Birthday, South Africa! 1

Apr

27

2015

South Africa’s non-racial democracy celebrates its 21st today so My New Old Self is republishing this personal exhibit of anti-apartheid badges (or political buttons or whatever you call them) worn by My Old Young Self 30-40 years ago. Those were the days when many of us around the world protested against apartheid in South Africa and campaigned ...

Madiba on aging well – plus Free Mandela memorabilia 2

Dec

20

2013

Most of us old enough to have known of Nelson Mandela from his early days in prison did not learn about him in history class. We had heard of this political activist and underground leader, but what we knew was distorted by South Africa’s state-controlled newspapers and radio. (Only in 1976 did the apartheid regime ...

Mourning Madiba: Antidotes to Media Overload

Dec

10

2013

This isn’t a list of Top 10 Antidotes to Mourning Madiba Media Overload, but just a few tips to help you cope during this remarkable period of history. Because it’s only going to get more intense during this week of memorials, culminating with the funeral of Nelson Mandela at his rural home on Sunday. The ...

Madiba’s plea not to wander at night looking for the kitchen

Dec

9

2013

Nelson Mandela certainly proved wrong the old saying about the good dying young.* We have had the privilege of watching one of the world’s most impressive human beings grow old and reach a ripe age. It’s not often that a leader inspires the world as Mandela did in his prime. That he continued to ...

Viva Old People Who Dance Like Teenagers!

Oct

14

2013

My New Old Self would like to go on record as endorsing old people who dance like teenagers – whether they’re jiving at home or on a public platform. This is in response to a comment from ex-African National Congress Youth League leader Julius Malema. The 32-year-old South African launched his new political party with ...

Older Persons, it’s your day – and week 1

Sep

28

2013

We’re in the limelight this week, so here are a few tips to help you deal with all the attention. Have a cup of strong coffee before you read the official UN statement on the International Day of Older Persons because it’s in UN-speak so it might put you to sleep. There’s the usual mention of ...

Posers Beware

Aug

7

2013

Here’s a tip for when you next find yourself facing a camera: think before you strike a pose. This advice popped into My New Old Head when I saw the last white president of South Africa, aged 77, posing for a media campaign called 21 Icons. Barefoot and wearing a suit and tie, he ...