Homage to Achmat Dangor
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In Setswana we will say: Setlhare se segolo se ole. Dibaga tsa gauta di kgaogile.
Achmat Dangor appreciated languages. He tried his hand at different languages even though he was nowhere near fluent. In his honour, we must make an effort to appreciate and learn our official languages.
He understood Madiba’s words when he said: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his [own] language, that goes to his heart.”
Driving back home from Achmat’s funeral and seeing the sunset reminded me of the great soul whose life had just come to an end.
The news of Achmat’s passing on Monday broke me. I was paralysed by grief. I was doing one last chore at home for the weekend and I couldn’t complete it.
To his family and friends, please receive my deepest condolences. Your loss is our loss too. It is the nation’s loss of a dedicated and talented man. We have lost one of this country’s most talented and caring people.
Achmat was special to me. It is true to say that this has been one of the saddest and heaviest days of my professional life. He saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself.
I guess that’s what a mentor does. When he took me to one of my first big meetings in this context at Luthuli House back in 2009, I protested. I’m young! I’m new! Surely there are colleagues more deserving of the honour. Of course, deep down I also didn’t want to go as it was going to be a difficult meeting with the ANC.
All he said, in a gentle Achmat way: “I want you to come with me”. That was the end of discussion.
He was calm, as always, but firm. From that point onwards, Achmat took me along to all his important engagements. I credit him for introducing me to some of the prominent people around the world.
Fast forward a few years later when he was about to retire as CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. When his position was advertised, he came to me and said “apply”. Again in a firm but gentle voice. I thought about it for many days. It worried me! I was still young. Yes with a bit of experience but not at that level. I was green ...
Achmat Dangor appreciated languages. He tried his hand at different languages even though he was nowhere near fluent. In his honour, we must make an effort to appreciate and learn our official languages.
He understood Madiba’s words when he said: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his [own] language, that goes to his heart.”
Driving back home from Achmat’s funeral and seeing the sunset reminded me of the great soul whose life had just come to an end.
The news of Achmat’s passing on Monday broke me. I was paralysed by grief. I was doing one last chore at home for the weekend and I couldn’t complete it.
To his family and friends, please receive my deepest condolences. Your loss is our loss too. It is the nation’s loss of a dedicated and talented man. We have lost one of this country’s most talented and caring people.
Achmat was special to me. It is true to say that this has been one of the saddest and heaviest days of my professional life. He saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself.
I guess that’s what a mentor does. When he took me to one of my first big meetings in this context at Luthuli House back in 2009, I protested. I’m young! I’m new! Surely there are colleagues more deserving of the honour. Of course, deep down I also didn’t want to go as it was going to be a difficult meeting with the ANC.
All he said, in a gentle Achmat way: “I want you to come with me”. That was the end of discussion.
He was calm, as always, but firm. From that point onwards, Achmat took me along to all his important engagements. I credit him for introducing me to some of the prominent people around the world.
Fast forward a few years later when he was about to retire as CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. When his position was advertised, he came to me and said “apply”. Again in a firm but gentle voice. I thought about it for many days. It worried me! I was still young. Yes with a bit of experience but not at that level. I was green ...