As South Africans join the world in celebrating Nelson Mandela International Day, today (July 18), let us remember the values and principles that Nelson Mandela inculcated not only in South Africans, but indeed the world. Mandela, more fondly known as Madiba, who was born on July 18, 1918 and passed away on December 5, 2013, was elected South Africa’s first democratic President in 1994, after spending 27 years in prison for fighting for equal rights and a just South Africa, for all its people, under the banner of the ANC. However, sadly, while the ANC was once synonymous with Nelson Mandela and the anti-apartheid struggle, the party is now seen by many South Africans as having shifted away from its core values and principles, with corruption, embezzlement, bribery, and the abuse of power being the order of the day, as it governs at local, provincial and national level. This contradicts Mandela’s emphasis on integrity and ethical leadership. With the ANC losing political power in 2024, having led South Africa for only 30 years, many believe that the loss was due to its current leadership and policies no longer aligning with the vision of Mandela and the liberation movement. Locally, many ardent supporters of the ANC, who voted for the party since 1994, have now moved away from the ANC, citing that the ANC has become more focused on maintaining power and patronage, than on addressing the socio-economic challenges facing South Africa, such as poverty, inequality, and unemployment. There have also been numerous incidents of corruption and mismanagement within the ANC, which stand in stark contrast to the ideals of integrity and selfless service that Mandela embodied. The ANC’s declining popularity in recent elections, coupled with growing public dissatisfaction, clearly indicates a decline in public trust and confidence in the party, as it moves away from the teachings and values that Madiba held so dear.