Oprah decided to open the school after spending ten days and ten nights at the late former president’s Qunu home.
Media mogul, Oprah Winfrey, revealed on Thursday, 29 November 2018, that spending time with Nelson Mandela gave her the idea to open a school for girls in South Africa.
“When I met Madiba, it was like coming home. I decided that I was going to do something for South Africa,” Winfrey told a packed auditorium at the Imbizo Hall at the University of Johannesburg. “I said to Mandela that one day I will build a school for girls because I believe that women will save South Africa.
She was delivering the keynote address at the Is’thunzi Sabafazi (Dignity of women) event organised by the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
Winfrey had visited the struggle stalwart at his home in Qunu for ten days and ten nights.
Madiba approached the then Minister of Education telling him “Oprah wants to build a school.”
The school which opened in 2007 currently accommodates 191 local girls. Winfrey shared the success of one of the school’s alumni. “We just had our first doctor graduate,” she said.
Mozambican politician and Nelson Mandela’s widow, Graca Machel, said that inviting Winfrey to the event was an easy choice. “I knew these celebrations would be totally incomplete if Oprah didn’t grace us with her presence, her voice, her power,” Machel said.
The event follows a myriad of celebrations of what would have been Mandela’s 100th year.
On Sunday, 2 December 2018, the nation will be treated to live performances by local and international acts including Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Pharell Williams, Sho Madjozi and Tiwa Savage. The Global Citizen Festival which raises awareness for social injustice will be broadcast live on a DSTV pop up channel and on SABC.
Xiletelo Mabasa
x.mabasa@politicalanalysis.co.za
