Kweku Mandela talks 'pressure' in carrying on grandfather's legacy

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Today marks 49 years since Nelson Mandela was sentenced to life in prison – a penalty he faced after he was convicted on charges of treason and sabotage in attempt to overthrow the apartheid government of South Africa.

After spending 27 years in jail, Mandela was finally released but remained committed to his goal of ending state-sanctioned segregation.

Four years later, in 1994, he emerged as South Africa’s first black president.

Mandela’s involvement in the anti-apartheid movement catapulted him to worldwide fame as one of the country’s greatest leaders and later a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.

Now, at 94 years old, Mandela is battling a recurring lung infection that has left him in and out of hospitalization.

While the latest news reports suggest he is “responding better to treatment,” his illness has raised concerns about who will carry on his legacy.

A Mandela tribute in Times Square

During a phone interview just over a month ago with Mandela’s grandson Kweku, theGrio talked to the aspiring filmmaker about a special video tribute to his grandfather he helped organize in New York City’s Times Square.

It took over two years to put the project together and the final product resulted in a dazzling display as short videos burst onto the big screens in the legendary section of the Big Apple. The quick clips included words from some of Mandela’s inspiring speeches over the years.

“We wanted to create captivating visuals so we made a glowing chart of words that represented some of the things my granddad experienced throughout his life from being a political prisoner to becoming the first democratically-elected president of South Africa,” Kweku told theGrio.

“It has been a strong intention to find a new way to connect younger generations with my grandfather’s legacy,” he added.

Kweku said he uses his interest in film and video to create projects that highlight and retell his grandfather’s achievements and the lessons he has learned from them.

“He said that he wants [his family] to carry on the legacy,” Kweku said. “It’s very strong and motivating for me and my family.”

The pressure to carry on Mandela’s legacy

It is clear that Mandela’s legacy is a lifetime of monumental feats that brought him global recognition for his unfaltering ambition to rid his country of oppression.

And while Kweku sees this as an honor, he also admitted that he and others in the family feel the weight of Mandela’s legacy and the pressure it leaves upon their shoulders.

“There’s a certain amount of pressure on us all,” he said. “We are all tied to his legacy and he spent a large time of his life overcoming hypocrisy.”

Still, Kweku remained confident in his endeavors to carry out this mission and made it clear that he is not doing it alone.

Family bands together to spread awareness 

Instead, he says it is a family effort and many members of the clan are using their own special talents and interests to add to the coverage of Mandela and the role he holds in history.

For example, Kweku said two of his cousins helped curate a show that highlighted key moments throughout Mandela’s life and also brought attention to the strength and independence of South African women.

Meanwhile, he said that his mother and sister are in the midst of creating a wine tentatively titled “House of Mandela.”

Further cementing the Mandela brand, two of Mandela’s other grandchildren – Zaziwe Dlamini-Manaway and Swati Dlamini – are starring in their own reality show, Being Mandela. The 13-episode season focuses on their close family and some of their personal aspirations.