Reflection from South Africa: My 67 minutes, I want to be involved

On Monday 18th July we celebrated the birthday of our late former statesman Mr Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. He was a true legend who made significant contributions throughout the world and made us feel proud to be South Africans. He left a legacy not only for us in South Africa but for many people in the world. He was a President who was concerned about all that was happening in the country, but an issue which was particularly close to his heart was the HIV-AIDS epidemic.

He worked hard not only to show his support, but also to understand how this epidemic could be managed. On Monday an International HIV-AIDS conference started in Durban and ends on Friday. The AIDS epidemic has been around and is still going to be around, sadly, for some time to come. On Tuesday the Vice-President Cyril Ramaphosa revealed the HIV-AIDS statistics that 2000 people per week are reportedly being infected by the epidemic. The figures are not decreasing but are increasing daily.

With these shocking statistics, it is clear that we cannot leave it only to the government to curb the spread of HIV-AIDS. In the spirit of Mandela's legacy and Mandela Day, perhaps we all need to heed the call to give our 67 minutes to this cause. We need to be active. It should not be a once-off engagement but rather a way of life. People need to live their 67 minutes at least once a month, not only one day in July. We need to have the 67 minutes attitude!

It should be embedded in our politics. We should see it in our manifestos. We must live the spirit of 67 minutes. This could be in ways we address each other and keep and apply the promises we make, especially during times when we undertake our political campaigns.

It must also be spiritual in the way we express ourselves. The story of the Good Samaritan, was and still is a 67 minutes moment. The 67 minutes has a giver and receiver, the receiver goes through a moment of bliss in receiving and the giver also goes through the moment of bliss!

We used to live in an era when the stigma of someone with HIV-AIDS status was, in itself, the society failing to realise this idea of 67 minutes. Society was not giving 67 minutes to everyone who had the status. If we are failing it is because Africa is not living up to the spirit of the 67 minutes moment. If, when we sit and reflect, we come to a point in which we say we have failed people with the status, then we have failed to live up to the 67 minutes.

We need to challenge the Politicians. Votes must not be about the party colours but about togetherness which is the spirit embedded in the 67 minutes idea. Your contribution to the 67 minutes can change our country and lead us to a better tomorrow. Who doesn't want to be a Good Samaritan and share their 67 minutes?

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