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Best Madiba Advice
“The way you approach a person will determine how that person reacts to you. If you question another person’s integrity then it’s a reflection of your own integrity. It’s so simple to apply that to everyday life, and it’s something that stays with you every single moment of every day. He is a strategist of note and was very good at going into a situation prepared. And if you watch him – and I’ve watched him closely for 18 years – every single thing he does, he does with great thought. Bringing this back to everyday life, if you approach people without any preconceived ideas of prejudices it makes life so much easier. For someone who was in prison for 27 years, he had a long time to think about things like this. How he approached his wardens, for example, would determine how he got treated. He took a conscious decision how to behave – and we all have that choice.”
Best Highlights with Madiba
“There were many of course, but one that definitely stays in my memory is when we were in Zurich to hear the result of the bid for the 2010 World Cup – and it was announced that it would be held in South Africa. We had put so much energy into that bid and when we were finally successful he was so happy that he actually started crying. It was so emotional because his last years of working energy really went into trying to get that bid in South Africa and as you know it was a great success. Even FIFA said it was one of the best in the world ever, so I’m very proud I was part of that achievement.”
Presidents, politicians, celebrities, tribal leaders, royalty – she has met them all, but who made the most impression on her one wonders? “You know what, you’re going to laugh when I tell you this… It’s true, I’ve met them all and it’s been great but can I tell you that at BMW Motorrad Days this year, I sat at dinner and Chris Pfeiffer was sitting opposite me and I thought he was great. I saw his show and he’s the best at what he does. People who achieve in life – people who are serious about what they do – are special. For sure, I’ve met many famous people but at the end of the day they’re all human beings that have usually just done well for themselves by simply working hard.”
How did Mandela spend his last days?
When asked this question a year before his death, Zelda said: “He lives on the East Cape in South Africa on his farm. He’s really retired now at age 94. He’s fine, but he doesn’t receive visitors any more. I usually go there every week for about two days but at his age he’s just concerned with everyday life and things around him, like his family. He doesn’t want to be surprised in any way so that’s the kind of environment we create for him now. He often says that the thing he missed most about prison was the time to think, to reflect, and now at last he has the time to do that. He has this kind of freedom for the first time in his life.”
About the future
What job could she possibly do after this one? ‘I’ll probably do some consultancy work, advising companies on structure for their offices to support and enhance the functions of top management, organising events, that sort of thing, and always 46664. I can’t see myself working for another person, like a president or a celebrity or another former president. I can’t.’
She said she struggled sometimes to believe the privileges she had had. Yet, as evidence that no one is ever quite satisfied with their lot, she confessed to some regrets, to some wishes unfulfilled. ‘It’s true. I am blessed. But there have been a lot of personal sacrifices along the way. Such as not having a social life for very long, and I’m in my forties now. The job has made it very difficult for me to trust people’s agendas with me and I’ve had some expensive lessons. I’ve travelled all over, met so many people and I know I am extraordinarily privileged, but my friends have found contentment with the ordinary things in life and I have not; they have children, I don’t. It would be kind of nice to drive your kids to school every morning. After having such an extraordinary privileged life you tend to want the simple things. I do however have three Boston terriers that are my children in every true sense of the word … though they find it difficult when I travel. If I had my whole life all over again, I wish that the same would happen, but you do wonder whether you’d have children to tell all your stories to. You do. It’s human.’
La Grange was clearly excited when Madiba retired because she had hoped it will afford her the chance to organise her own life and spend more time with her parents, brother and close friends. “I do find it very frustrating not being in control of my own life. I would plan social events and suddenly drop everything at the 11th hour because I have to jump on a plane unexpectedly. But now there will be much less of that because we will not be taking many invitations.”
Finally, what about the new Zelda La Grange and her own plans for the future? “My life has changed so much in the past months now he’s retired, so finally I can make choices for myself and plan ahead. Now I can do the things I love for the first time. Motorbiking is one of them, and being on my GS in the Western Cape is one of the things I enjoy most. I haven’t ridden in Europe yet, or America, but these places are definitely on my list. I haven’t had a private or personal life for 18 years and now slowly that’s coming back.”
Zelda’s Passions Today
Zelda la Grange currently lives in Midrand, Johannesburg. Today, she serves Mr. Mandela as a Personal Assistant on a part time arrangement since his retirement from public life in 2008. She has embarked on several other initiatives, of which notably include Bikers for Mandela Day, an initiative associated with the annual Mandela Day during which she pays tribute to her employer of more than 18 years by doing community work and encouraging others to do the same. She is also involved in several other civil society initiatives and is a part time life style presenter on the regional radio station Jacaranda FM.
She describes herself as a perfectionist, loyal, introverted, and a nice person who loves spending time in nature and with animals. La Grange becomes very bubbly when she describes her new-found passion, motorcycle racing, and she can’t wait to get her new BMW 1150.
“Well, I’m still employed by Mr. Mandela, but I’ve got some spare time for the first time in 18 years and I love my motorbikes so I want to develop this side of things. I’ve been riding for about seven years, but have taken it seriously for the last four years. I’ve got an F 800 GS and an R 1200 GS Adventure.”
“And you also have a great country in which to ride your GS bikes… South African roads are tailor-made for a bike like the GS – and the most beautiful roads in South Africa are the gravel ones, of which there are many. You don’t have to be a serious off-road rider to be able to manage them either. We’ve got such diversity in our country to show. Half an hour’s ride will take you from the ocean to the desert, up into the Karoo, so it’s ideal for adventure riders.”
Conclusion
For the first few years since his retirement Zelda was solely responsible for all negotiations on foreign travel as it concerned President Nelson Mandela whether with foreign governments or business that hosted the former President abroad. She has been on more than 180 trips abroad accompanying the former President on both official and private trips, the majority during which she was the only administrative and personal support in his delegation apart from medical and security personnel. Without infrastructure, Zelda helped to establish the post- President official, handling all travel and logistics co-ordination, public relations and media concerning Mr. Mandela acting as Mr. Mandela’s Executive Personal Assistant. She managed his diary as well as all business related to his public life.
The Nelson Mandela Foundation was established in 1999 to support Mr. Mandela’s ongoing work but has moved its focus due to Mr. Mandela’s retirement and is now becoming a centre of excellence as the Centre of Memory – similar to what may be known as Presidential library.
Her meteoric rise came as a surprise, even to her, but she credits it to her loyalty and the great respect she has for Mandela. “I respect him a great deal and try not to be too familiar with him, even though I’m accepted as part of the family. “I give him his space and do not suffocate him.” “If Madiba requires my assistance, I will always be there for him,” she says with pride.
She has come a long, long way from north Pretoria. No longer oblivious, no longer secluded, no longer – by any stretch of the imagination – ordinary.
Now a supremely confident, graceful woman with a fabulous past behind her and a rich future ahead that, with luck, will include a gift that would have been a hell of a thing – and more – as she was growing up, a white great grandchild for Nelson Mandela.
Very Interesting!