How come Nelson Mandela's mistakes haven’t damaged the iconic image of this African leader? Why does a book that exposes his deepest thoughts get accused of being ‘too impersonal’? These are the questions that came to South Africa expert Bart Luirink’s mind after he read 'Conversations with myself', Mr Mandela's autobiography, published last week.

By Bart Luirink

Nelson Mandela's career was not flawless. Only recently, for example, we were raising our eyebrows at the photo showing former Liberian leader Charles Taylor, currently standing trial at the International Criminal Court, dining with and at the home of Mr Mandela. On the photo, Taylor is sat next to supermodel Naomi Campbell, who later received a ‘blood diamond’ from the Liberian leader.

There was also the unfortunate call from Mr Mandela, during the early 1990s, for fourteen-year-olds in his country to be given the right to vote. Or how about the more than slightly awkward decision - at the beginning of his presidency - to leave the fight against AIDS in the hands of his deputy, Thabo Mbeki, who refused to believe HIV existed.

Votes for children
These particular issues hardly get a mention in his book. But that doesn’t mean they’ve been swept under the carpet. His proposal about grant children the right to vote was one which Mr Mandela quickly - and publicly - withdrew. The former president must also have been aware that there was something dubious about Charles Taylor. Graca Machel, Mandela's third wife, even warned Ms Campbell during that dinner to keep away from him.

Mr Mandela has shouldered the blame many a time in recent years for his initial lack of action in the fight against aids. There are but few leaders who have looked back on their careers with the same degree of critical self-examination. British former prime minister Tony Blair could learn thing or two from Mr Mandela: he who nobly admits to his mistakes will see his reputation grow.

Painful confessions
This also applies to the personal confessions which – however embarrassing they may sometimes be – make him that much more recognisably human. Young Mandela, the book about his early years - published this summer, reports how the then ANC leader fathered a son by one of his fellow anti-apartheid activists. The Mandela Foundation, which had an opportunity to vet the book prior to publication and arranged for its author to meet up with the subject of his book, made no attempt to cover up or deny this revelation.

Mr Mandela's own book contains numerous letters he wrote to his - now ex - wife Winnie, his children and friends, which evidence the immense despair of the powerful leader - a man of the utmost perseverance - felt during his imprisonment. Just as frank - and demonstrating remarkable understanding – are his answers to the questions from his biographer about Winnie's relationships with other men while he was in prison. A conversation about this issue appears in the newly published book.

Embarrassment
Despite all this, Nelson Mandela has been criticised for not revealing enough of his personal life and feelings. One example in this respect is collapse of his marriage to Winnie during the early 1990s. Yet, he was more than open – in fact lengthy and detailed – in his statement to the court about Winnie’s extramarital affair, how it continued after he was released from detention, her extravagant spending and, about all, her prolonged and frequent absences. Listening to the summing up, I felt embarrassed for him.

There is in fact very little that we do not know about Mr Mandela's private life these days. How nice it would be if attention now shifted to the significance of prisoner 46664’s ideas and thoughts - for South Africa, for all of Africa and for the world. That's what happens with icons, take Ghandi and Martin Luther King, for example. The closer their final hour, the greater people's fascination for their vision and what drives them.

Reconciler

As regards Nelson Mandela, it would be nice if this interest could transcend the image of him as a Reconciler and Saviour. That would leave room to focus on the significance of collectivism, an approach that lies at heart of all he has done – the solution comes not from the individual, but from the collective effort. Sometimes this even means co-operation with former enemies, not as an expression of some kind of amnesia or of reconciliation taken to the extreme, but out of necessity. Because, as Nelson Mandela has shown, you have to talk… and especially so with your enemies.