A little peace

Nelson Mandela's daughter Makaziwe has complained about media coverage of her father's condition: "It's truly like vultures waiting when the lion has devoured the buffalo, waiting there for the last of the carcass. That's the image we have as a family."

I have to say I agree wholeheartedly. Nelson Mandela is a fine human being, who can be proud of his life. He devoted a big part of it to the fight against apartheid; having won that, he then followed a path of reconciliation rather than revenge. South Africa is imperfect, but compared to what might have happened it is a shining utopia for which he can claim a great deal of credit.

Sadly, as with all humans, he will eventually die. When he does, it will be appropriate for humanity to remember him, as an example to look up to.

In the meantime, we should be leaving him alone. Good quality medical care is what he needs; no purpose is served in hourly medical bulletins on the news stations. Even before I heard what Makaziwe had said, the constant updates were starting to annoy me. This world has plenty of urgent things to attend to; let us leave him and his family and his doctors in peace.