“I believe in Nelson Mandela’s vision,” former US President Barack Obama said during the sixteenth annual Nelson Mandela Lecture, on Tuesday.

The event, held in Johannesburg, celebrates Madiba’s centenary this year and was attended by thousands including dignitaries such as Graça Machel, Ban Ki Moon, Patrice Motsepe, President Cyril Ramaphosa and Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini.

“To continue Madiba’s ‘long walk to freedom’ we have to be strong. We have to fight and promote lasting opportunity for everyone. When economic power is in the hands of a few, history shows us that even politics follows suit. I believe that we have no choice but to move forward. We have a better story to tell. To say that the future is better – is not to say that we will win.”

He went on to express faith in the current leadership of Cyril Ramaphosa in carrying on Madiba’s legacy.

“More than a quarter century since Madiba walked out of jail I still have to affirm that everyone is human and that our differences are superficial and that we should treat each other with care, I thought that was done. We have to constantly be on the lookout and fight those who put other people down”.