If he were well enough to speak and to know, I believe he would deplore in strong terms the conduct of the media and his relatives over his condition, and his future. Those who care, genuinely, for this man of light grieve not just for his ill-health but for the swirling, intrusive, unseemly rumours that are being perpetuated about his condition, usually unfounded and made, perhaps, to sell news.
More disturbing still is the behaviour of his family as they squabble over his body while he is alive still, over his resting place and, ultimately, over his considerable monies. It is about exploitation for financial gain: it is hard to believe that the father of the world would want a Mandela theme park and, it is feared, the plundering of his charitable foundations, as well as the unnecessary disturbance to the graves of his children.
The image of the perfect Mandela family has been destroyed in recent days. While the public arguments and clear greed are unedifying, we are seeing the human tests and frailties that confront many of us everywhere in the world, of whatever background and degree. They are human and are showing their humanity, behaving as I have seen in other more anonymous men and women anticipating the death of a parent with some money to leave. We do not know if Nelson Mandela has made his wishes for his legacy clear and binding, but it would have helped if he had and so, just as with those who fail to make a will can cause confusion, he may have some responsibility for enabling this brouhaha.
Meanwhile, whatever the background, a fine man is being dishonoured. He will know what is occurring at the level of the soul both now and after he has died, and, of course, those whose conduct is malicious or acquisitive will reap the reward of their actions through karmic rebalancing. In the end, Mandela will not care, but he may be a little sad that those he loved and taught have forgotten his principles for life.
[byline]
]]>
