I have just returned from a twelve day lecture tour of South Africa. When I was last there in 1976 Nelson Mandela was in jail on Robin Island, Winnie Mandela was under house arrest, the Soweto riots were just days in the past and Desmond Tutu was the Dean of St. Mary’s Cathedral in Johannesburg. Tensions were palpable. The contrast today was tremendous.
On this trip the debate in this nation was over who would be the third president of the republic to succeed Mr. Mandela’s successor, President Mbeke. A new nation has been born. Of course, there are still massive problems. The crime rate is very high. The economy is under stress from countless numbers of refugees flowing into South Africa in an attempt to escape the chaos of Robert Mugabe’s repressive government in Zimbabwe. The gap between the rich and the poor is far to high and the existence of HIV/Aids is still rampant. Yet I saw a nation emerging and a corporate consciousness developing that embraces all racial differences.

I learned that at the University of South Africa at Pretoria 134,000 students, many long distance, are seeking to gain the necessary education to take advantage of the opportunities that are present in South Africa. I saw little rancor, bitterness or fear.

That is the direct result of forgiveness being made public policy, which was Desmond Tutu’s great contribution to the new South Africa.

Vengeance, revenge, the desire to get even – these are the responses of people who do not understand how fragile civilization is. Forgiveness creates a power that expands the desire to build a new world. It produces an enlightened consciousness. Desmond Tutu understood this, called his nation to act on it and in the process transformed South Africa. Would that national leaders everywhere could do the same.