Marking thirty years. Personal memories of Africa’s Giants
My personal story of two of Africa’s, and indeed the world’s, most important and influential politicians quietly passed me by. Last few months have been a bit of a twilight. Life eh?
Some thirty years ago, 10th May 1994 Nelson Mandela became President Mandela. His election would cap a memorable 18-months stay in South Africa as a freelance correspondent.
As also an associate producer for ABC News at the international press gatherings I would pose questions to Mr Mandela. I recall how nervous I was. The idea was you to get the first question in after an announcement for a chance to follow up, which I did. If you were lucky you’d get a third, but often by then everyone had warmed up and you’d likely get heckled down. I did.
The photo above is of Mr Mandela voting. That was some day. Couple of days before, terrorists tried to disrupt the elections by detonating a bomb in downtown Joburg. Hugh Croskill (hashtag#RIP) Editor of the BBC Caribbean Service rang me to ask if I had anything on it. I had. I’d been living about two miles from the explosion. It shook our house, so we hurried to the site. Within a short space of time I did a 2-way live interview Hugh. https://lnkd.in/g_AxpV6
Inauguration was the high spot reporting on one of the biggest stories of that period, which if you want to go down memory lane, or get a feel for what it was like, you can listen here https://lnkd.in/gQceSkA
But more was to come. Sometime later at a VIP reception I was seated with a friend at a table. Suddenly we could hear chairs screeching and waves of people standing. Naturally, we followed. And then there he was heading to our table, and then he stopped to have a chat with me offering his hand. He had a photographer with him and I lightly gestured for a photo. “I’ve ran out of film” he muttered. Either way with only 24 pictures to a film he probably was being judicious. I rang and spoke to my mum afterwards and savoured the handshake moment.
I remembered then the free Nelson Mandela concert in London some years ago where as a reporter I made this report https://lnkd.in/gCy7q-9 and then the evenings at the SA Embassy (Piccadily) for press briefings and playing pool afterwards.
I was soon to work for BBC GLR as a presenter/ producer for Black London and that’s where this cheeky encounter with Dr Kenneth Kaunda happened. I’m glad he laughed. It was meant to be lighthearted https://lnkd.in/dyE_qxH.
You can listen to a range of my reports in South Africa here https://lnkd.in/eZ7wgR9a or key Greatest of All time I/vs with stars here https://lnkd.in/ezKidEdF
