Nelson Mandela knew just about everything about his assistant, Zelda la Grange. But when he found out from one of her colleagues that she had been a biker for many years, Tata was surprised to say the least.
“It’s a very funny story, actually,” said La Grange.
“I had been out all day on a bikers’ training course when Khulu had been looking for me. So he asked my colleague where I was. He was shocked to hear I was out on a motorbike course. He couldn’t believe it and asked why I had bought a motorbike when he knew I had a car.
“After we had done our first Biker for Mandela Day event in 2010, I went to show Khulu the pictures of the event and the projects we had been working on.
“He was very surprised and asked why I had rode my motorbike all the way from Joburg to Cape Town. I told him, ‘we did it for you, Khulu’.
“Needless to say, he was very surprised and touched by the initiative.”
On Thursday, La Grange will don her helmet again to take part in the sixth annual Bikers for Mandela Day event.
La Grange will be joined by celebrities such as DJ Fresh, Anele Mdoda, Johrnè van Huyssteen, Alex Caige, Saint Seseli, Angie Khumalo, Mac Masina, Piet Croucamp and Karen Zoid on her ride.
Bikers for Mandela Day is one of the many activities taking place under the broader Mandela Day campaign. La Grange and her team will travel from Joburg to Beaufort West, George, Knysna, Graaff-Reinet and Bloemfontein, distributing whistles to the organisations they visit, in support of Blow The Whistle, an anti-rape and anti-women abuse organisation.
1st for Women Insurance, via its charitable trust, the 1st for Women Foundation, will be supporting the group of bikers on their 2015 Bikers for Mandela Day journey.
They will visit a number of remote areas to advocate change.
“Bikers for Mandela Day was launched so South Africa’s large biker community could pay tribute to Madiba and his legacy,” La Grange said.
“Madiba strongly believed small acts of kindness could change the world for the better and gave 67 years of his life fighting for the rights of humanity. Now it’s our turn to make a positive and sustainable difference to communities in need.”
La Grange said the trip would not only be about Mandela Day and trying to achieve a particular goal but would also be a journey of the soul.
“You get five days sitting on your bike with only your own thoughts, and you go through a whole process thinking about things you never have time to think about.
“You meet incredible people in different townships, and it gives you the motivation to get up each day and make a difference.”
The 44-year-old, who worked for Mandela for 19 years, admits she still battles to come to terms with the death of the former president.
“Its been very difficult to be honest.
I get very excited about Mandela Day and look forward to the work I am going to do because I know what it would have meant to Khulu.
“I’ve had ups and downs in my life since he passed away. I have to remind myself constantly of Madiba’s example to get through the day.
“His passing has been difficult also in the sense that I don’t see Graça (Machel) as much as I used to. I don’t see much of her daughter as well as Mandla or Zinzi because we are not in touch as we don’t work together.
“I never thought I would say this but I also miss the politics. You become so addicted to it.”
When times get tough for La Grange, she goes back to reading the late president’s speeches and books.
“When I grapple with stuff, I go through old speeches and go back to Khulu’s book Conversations with Myself to draw inspiration.
“We have been given such a rich legacy and we can still learn so much from him.”
Since Mandela’s death, La Grange has written and released a memoir about her time as his assistant.
The book, Good Morning, Mr Mandela, became the best-selling book in the country last year.
La Grange is glad Madiba never read her book. “I don’t think I am a good enough writer,” she said.
“My English is not too good. I’m an Afrikaans speaker, so I was always nervous about everything I wrote for Khulu.
“That said, I’m very pleased people enjoyed reading about my personal experiences with Madiba. I was very truthful about everything and I think people appreciated that.”
Aside from writing a memoir, La Grange works for a number of charities and strives to make a difference in South Africa.
“I saw Tata wake up for 16 years, every single day, wanting to touch someone’s life.
“If there wasn’t someone at hand to help, he would look in the newspaper for someone he could assist.
“If he came across someone who was suffering, he would try to help in any way that he could.
“Hopefully I can do my bit to make a difference in South Africa,” said La Grange.
Saturday Star