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Polity
Article by: Sapa Published: 05 Nov 2008
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| Mandela hails Obama as an inspiration | |
| Anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela congratulated US president elect Barack Obama on his victory on Wednesday, saying he was an inspiration to people all over the world."Your victory has demonstrated that no person anywhere in the world should not dare to dream of wanting to change the world for a better place," Mandela said in a letter to Obama. "We note and applaud your commitment to supporting the cause of peace and security around the world. We trust that you will also make it the mission of your presidency to combat the scourge of poverty and disease everywhere," Mandela said. Obama became the United States' first black president as his Republican rival John McCain conceded defeat in historic elections on Wednesday morning. South African leaders congratulated him, expressing hope that his election would place Africa's problems higher on the global agenda. "Your election to this high office of the American people carries with it hope for millions of your country men and women as much as it is for millions of people of particularly African descent both on the continent of Africa as well as those in the diaspora," President Kgalema Motlanthe said in a statement. "We express the hope that poverty and under-development in Africa which remains a challenge for humanity will indeed continue to receive a greater attention of the focus of the new administration," added Motlanthe. The ANC said it expected South Africa to maintain its strong relationship of "mutual respect and co-operation" with the US. "The ANC is confident that the Obama administration will work to strengthen ties between the United States and Africa, building on development initiatives already in place, forging a genuine partnership to tackle the challenges facing the continent," said ANC spokeswoman Jessie Duarte. Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille said Obama's election conveyed "a powerful message that the politics of race is on the way out". "His ascent to the Presidency shows that in politics, nothing is inevitable... "It demonstrates that through hard work and access to opportunity, anyone can change the world. "Hopefully, here in South Africa, we will learn from Obama's success, and take the politics of the open, opportunity society to heart," Zille said. SA National Convention Movement leader Terror Lekota said Obama's victory signified "the strength of the will of the people who are hungry for change". "It demonstrates that in a democracy, people have the power to change the course of their lives, the course of history. "As South Africans, we achieved this in 1994 as the world watched in disbelief ... Let us not be afraid to summon the hope and courage that will bring about the changes that will revive our hard-earned democracy," Lekota said. African Christian Democratic Party leader Kenneth Meshoe said the ACDP hoped Obama's win would challenge all Africans to dream big and believe that all things were possible. "African leaders would do well to learn from this election to accept outright wins by opposition parties in elections and hand over the reins with grace," Meshoe said. Patricia de Lille of the Independent Democrats also conveyed congratulations to Obama, "my brother, on his historic win". "We agree with him that yes we can change the world, yes we can bridge the racial divides that still exist in the 21st century and yes, we can bring hope to the world," De Lille said. Freedom Front Plus leader Pieter Mulder said Obama's election hailed a new era in US and world history. "The next four years will indicate whether Obama can succeed in the world having to deal with a less arrogant USA," he said. The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) described Obama's election as an "exceptional achievement". The result was a huge step forward in the battle to defeat racism and discrimination in the US and around the world. The Federation of Unions of South Africa (Fedusa) said Obama's election signalled "a period of great change in a world that desperately needs it". Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu called it an "epoch-making event filling the whole world with hope that change is possible". "It is just tremendous; it is saying to people of colour that for them, the sky is the limit. "My heartiest congratulations go to Senator Barack Obama and his partner Senator Joe Biden on their victory," Tutu said. |
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