Dear Mr Mandela ...
Welcome to the official Nelson Mandela 85th Birthday Message Book, page 15
Nelson Mandela turned 85 on 18 July 2003 - and you, and you, and you ... sent him 17 842 birthday messages via the official Mandela 85th Birthday website.
A selection of your messages has been published in this Book. See the box on the right for the full list of pages.
Thank you for being a great inspiration to the world and putting us up there with the rest, and wishing you many more. Thank you for being a leader and a great role model.
Natalie du Toit
Western Cape, South Africa
Happy birthday to you, Tata, and wishing you many more happy returns.
Nancy Rakotoa
North West, South Africa
Mr President, you are a hero, a saint, and an inspiration to us all. May you be blessed with many many more years, Inshallah. :)
Sieraaj Ahmed
Cape Town, South
Africa
Great Son of Africa - Happy Birthday to you.
Chinedum Uju
Lagos, Nigeria
Happy birthday ntate Madiba, ekete Modimo a ka go okeletsa Matsatsi a Mantsi a botshelo.Re leboga tsotlhe tse ore diretseng tsone,reagorata thata o Mogale gare ga bagale.
Caroline
Soweto, South Africa
Dit kom uit die diepte van my hart. Madiba jy was nog altyd vir my 'n inspirasie, iemand van wie ek baie uit die lewe kon leer. Mag ons Hemelse Vader u ryklik seën op hiedie vreugde volle dag en u nog vele jare gespaar sal bly. Hiep-hiep - Hoera!!!!!!!!!
Johannes M. Oliphant
Bloemfontein, South Africa
Madiba! Hartelijk gefeliciteerd en nog vele jaren;-)
bErTiL van Vugt
Amsterdam, the Netherlands
A father, a brother and a leader, may you stay healthy and happy for many years to come. Thank you for all
the wisdom you've given this world, happy birthday. Love,
Kelly and Emmylou
Cape Town, South Africa
Happy Birthday Madiba. You are such a blessing, may God bless you more. Many happy returns.
Elijah Chombo
Observatory, Johannesburg, South Africa
Tata, you have solidified my positive outlook in life and have contributed to my determination to work towards leaving a legacy for my country.Love you much, Happy 85th and God Bless!
Ashington Cebekhulu
Tshwane, Gauteng, South Africa
You are the greatest leader of all times, we are blessed and privileged to have lived during your time. May you see many more years and extend the privilege to those not yet born. Happy Madiba day.
Sikhumbuzo Tshabalala
Soweto, South Africa
To the greatest leader in the world, who fought for the rights of his people. Happy Birthday,
God bless and may you have many more fruitful years ahead.
Tanya Scharneck
Johannesburg, South Africa
I hope u have fantastic day and may there be many more. Have a ball.
Annette
Vanderbijlpark, South Africa
Long may you live. You are a wonderful person Madiba; the only time you look back in the rear-view mirror is so that you can look forward for ways to rectify past mistakes. You are a wonderful, loving, forgiving, giving person and we all could learn from you. To give a quote from GK Chesterton: "There is a great man who makes every man feel small, but the Real Great Man is the Man who makes every man feel great. God Bless and keep you safe and healthy, for all of us. Love,
Sue van Strijp-Crear and family
Redhouse, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
Dear Madiba, you are the greatest thank you for being a teacher to me happy birthday and long live god
bless you and Graca
Benjamin Freeman
Strandfontein, Cape Town
On behalf of our whole congregation: Happy birthday! May God grant you grace and peace, good health and ever multiplying happiness in Jesus, our Lord. And by witnessing how your dream of a unified nation is being realized more and more every day.
N G Moedergemeente
George, South Africa
Happy birthday Madiba! We celebrate your life and thank you for teaching us how to live together as one nation.
Carl Vlok
Weltevreden Park
Happy birthday Madiba may God bless you
Marianna de Kock
Eersterust Pretoria, South Africa
Happy birthday, Mr. Mandela! May your birthday be a very happy one, indeed. And may the good Lord bless and keep you every day of the rest of your life. You have served your country and your time so extremely well, made us so proud.
" ... thanking God for you is not only a pleasure, it's a must." [2 Thess 1:3 in "The Message"] The only thing that bothers me, is: Why are you taking so long to visit George and have some melktert and lekker koffie with us?
Johan van der Merwe
George, South Africa
Happy Birthday Madiba. I hope you have a wonderful day and many happy and healthy days ahead.
Phillip Vermeer
Durban
Mandela, Baie geluk!! Dankie vir die stryd sodat ons almal in SA een nasie kan wees. U is n wonderlike mens en alles wat mooi is.
Estelle
Brakpan, South Africa
Dear Madiba. You are an inspiration and an example to all of us. We wish you a wonderful birthday. Keep that Madiba magic going!
Regards from Canada,
Derick Dannhauser
Bowen Island, BC, Canada
Happy birthday Madiba and may God bless you many more
years
Lizelle Louw
Eersterust Pretoria
Mnr Mandela, ek en my gesin wens u net die beste toe en hoop dat u nog baie jare vir ons gespaar sal bly.
WJ, Karin en Karien Meintjes
Pretoria
Dear Mr. Mandela, all the best for your birthday and may god bless you.
Gottfried Klein
Cape Town
Dear Madiba, Happy birthday!! - May all your wishes come true and may we as a country unite and become a world leader on all fronts. If we are lucky enough to have leaders half of your stature in future then our country is on a course to success. Like all good South Africans we love and respect you, may you have many more birthdays.
Elmar, Janine & Jessica van Emmenis
Gauteng, South Africa
Baie geluk met 85 ste verjaars Mdiba. GOD se rykste seen met hierdie mooi dag. Dankie vir alles wat U vir Suid Afrika en veral die kinders
van ons land doen. Dit is net jammer dat U net 10 jaar jonger was om nog de leisels van ons land te kon vashou nie.
Verjaarsdag groete.
Louwrens & Driekie Marais
Witbank, South Africa
Tata Madiba, ga gona wa so swana le wena, o gole o ka ke Tlou.
Jeremia Tete Ramaila
Diepkloof, Soweto
Happy birthday Madiba: if only we had ten years more of your leadership, we would be the envy of the world, even though we are still the envy of the world because we have you, May the lord bless you and your family, and may you be blessed with much health, we love you and hope you have a wonderful day, take it easy and just CHILL out.
Wayne
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa
Long live, uncontested human rights heavyweight champion of the world. 85 wins, no losses, 27 TKOs whilst on Robben Island. Yeh!
Bechet Chauke
Atteridgeville, Gauteng, South
Africa
May the Lord bless you during the coming years. We still need you on this globe... We need your smile! I respect you so much! You are South Africa's Father. Greetings
Hermann Dedekind
Faerie Glen, Pretoria, South Africa
Tata Madiba, Jy is vir ons almal 'n voorbeeld van "umtu gumtu gabantu" - 'n persoon terwille van ander mense. Baie geluk! Mag God u en Graca nog baie jare van geluk saam gee.
Deon Strydom
Cala, South Africa
Mr Mandela Happy Birthday may the Lord Bless and Keep you for many many years. Thanks for somebody like you. You are the best
Carina Kleinhans
Welkom, Free State, South Africa
Happy Birthday Madiba! You are a light in the life of South Africa! Many more! I am the namesake of your wife and proud to be!
Little Falls, Roodepoort, South Africa
Machel
Pestana
To the winner. Nelson you delivered the knock out punch to apartheid and for that you will forever be the champ. God be with you in your golden years.
Jimmy James
Cape Town, South Africa
Mr Mandela, we wish you a very happy birthday. My you experience piece and prosperity for the remainder of your life. I really wish there were more leaders like you. The world would have been a much better place. May all your wishes come true
Willem Vegter
Benoni, South Africa
There has never been, and there will never be anyone like you in our lifetime. I wish you could live to be 118yrs!
Pinki Phala
Pretoria, South Africa
Go you good thing!! Hope to post the message again in 2015.
Arnold Mazur
Australia
Baie geluk Madiba. Mag die jaar wat voorlê vol mooi dinge wees.
Die Here se seën word u toegebid
Henk en Christa Keuris
Tokyo Japan
May God give you strength and continued wisdom my hero. You are here for a purpose and you have done your bit. Now it is time to take it easy and let the cubs learn from the lion. Happy birthday my father.
Paulus Molefe Sefolo
Meredale Johannesburg
Happy "B" Day, whish I was a guest at the party.
Alma
Pretoria, South Africa
Dear Nelson Mandela, When your mindset is accepted and practiced by the world there will be peace forever. Happy birthday dear Nelson Mandela.
Berna Bosch
Hermanus, South Africa
Happy birthday and may God bless you and South Africa for what you have and are doing for S.A.
Tia Mason
Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa
Hi Madiba. As a peacemaker have a peaceful birthday
Ben
Luies
Singapore
Madiba. Baie geluk en mag God u nog lank vir ons mense spaar. Ek vertrou dat u 'n aangename tyd sal beleef saam met u familie!
Dr J Beukes
Roodepoort, South Africa
Happy Birthday Madiba! You are SA's miracle! God bless you on your birthday. We love and admire you.
Rita Brenchley
Oyster bay, Eastern Cape, South Africa
A sunbeam to warm you,
A moonbeam to charm you,
An angel so that nothing could harm you,
Laughter to cheer you,
Faithful friends near you,
And every time you pray,
God to hear you!
Dr Rosa Pieterse
Gauteng, South Africa
I have huge amounts of respect for Mr Nelson Mandela and grew up as a white south African in a totally non racist family environment. I spent two years in the army and ten years in the police and have experienced first hand the
problems we face in South Africa. I can only say that I do understand and that Mr. Mandela is the only president in the world that has the right to voice his opinion because of his deep understanding of our country. Thank you for being understanding to us all, thank you for being as compassionate as you are sir. I miss South Africa and its people and if I had been given more resources in the police I may still have been there, I'm sorry for leaving and feel bad about it. Thank you for being my teacher, I love you and will always be connected to you. HAPPY BIRTHDAY AND I WILL LIGHT A CANDLE FOR YOU AS A MEASURE OF YOUR ENERGY AND GOODWILL. CHEERS
Denholm westlake
London, UK
Gods Richest Blessings on your 85th birthday. May you be spared many more years you are an icon.
Deidre Kenny
Mitchells Plain
Happy Birthday! ...and may you have many more. You are an inspiration!
Gary
Rachuy
Minnesota, USA
Good luck with the wonderful changes you are bringing and have already brought to the world. I hope you have a lovely birthday. Kind regards,
Nancy
Sai Kung, Hong Kong
Many happy returns, sir! My family and I are (white) ex-South Africans, but we would like to show you the honour and respect you so richly deserve on your 85th birthday.
Paul Kasner
Wanganui, New Zealand
Justice Delayed is not Justice Denied. In associaiton with the Tambos, Sissulus, Mbekis, Slovos, Hani's , Biko's & the countless others in the struggle against the
Magna Carta Doctrine, Happy Birthday!!!!
David A. Greene
Houston, Texas
Best wishes; and enjoy your day. From the Titus family.
J.Titus
15 Van Gogh Str Malibu Village.
Dear Mr. Mandela Have a wonderful Birthday
& Many many more. Hope you live forever and ever!
Karen Schafer
Melkbosstrand
BEST WISHES from J. Titus, R. Classen, R. van Reenen, W. Davids, B. Swarts, A. Moses, J. September, J. Alexander, D. Moore, J.Magaar & Jaco.
I.e. Shift ONE. Nampak Tissue
Bellville Mill, Cape Town, South Africa
Best wishes for an enjoyable day...many more happy and healthy days.
Fiona Williams
Melbourne, Australia
Hi my name is patricia and am 16 i live in london and i have loved you since i was young or might say 4 the past 16 years of my life and i just want to say happy birthday and i wish i could also reach 85. well happy birthday young man love
Patricia
London, UK
Happy Birthday Madiba! Thank you so much for everything you've done for South Africa. We are a free and proud nation because of you. No amount of words
could express our gratitude. May you see many more!
Sandie
Philippines
Oudpres. Nelson Mandela, Happy Birthday and God bless you. A wish for you may God grant you always, Laughter to cheer you, Faithful friends near you, And when you pray Heaven to hear you love
Zandra Erasmus
Canada
Happy Birthday SIR
Ronald N.C.Classen
Roosendal Delft
Happy birthday Mr. Mandela enjoy your day.
Jeffrey Titus.
Malibu Village, Blue-Downs, South Africa
Long Live Madiba. Your great valour and perseverance, have brought about the freedom of the masses from the clutches of oppression. A chapter of the injustices of the past, now closed. A true champion of the liberation struggle and a paragon of justice.
Lesego Julius Gaeemelwe
Tsabong, Botswana
I wish many more years of
happiness to you. You are the World Leader.
André Marchesseault
Québec, Canada
I am currently reading your autobiography for the 3rd time and I just want to say that you are my hero and I greatly respect you. Have a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Shannon Pearce
Australia
Mnr. Mandela, Baie geluk met jou geboortedag op 18 Julie 2003. Mag God jou seën en mag die nuwe lewensjaar voorspoedig wees. Jy is voorwaar 'n goeie voorbeeld van liefde vir jou naaste!!! Geniet u dag!!!!
Joey Oosthuysen
Michigan, USA
Studying on a Mandela/Ausaid scholarship in Australia is a privilege. You have touched the lives of countless South Africans, including mine. I wish you a happy and peaceful birthday.
Alettia Chisin
Melbourne, Australia
Thank you for being such an inspiration to all people. Happy Birthday!
Rob
Cappiello
San Francisco, California, USA
You are my mentor and I wish you the best of birthdays. I admire you so much. Sincerely,
Lake Larsson
Maine, USA
I've travelled to many places and I am just simply fascinated by you, your people and country. Your country has a special spiritual presence. It is said that "God resides in the Bahamas", but I've had an eden experience when I visited the Mpumalanga. I'm in LOVE with SA! Happy Birthday President Mandela and continue to stay in the secret place of the Most High.
Patricia Ferguson
Bahamas
I am thankful for the opportunity to wish you a very happy birthday and to say that your determination and dedication to what you believed in is an inspiraration to me. More than that you did it with a totally rational and focused approach despite the conditions you were subject to. Your grace,seflessness and spirit of
reconcilliation is sorely needed far beyond the borders of South Africa. Thank you!
Peter Culverwell
Brisbane Australia
nakutaa kila la heri na baraka njema kwa kutimiza miaka 85, mungu akulinde vyema. mzee Mandela
Rukia
Canada
Happiest of Birthdays to you from the South Central USA.
Dave Bartlett
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Happy 85th birthday Madiba. I hope you have a beautiful day.
God bless you!!!
Frans Pistorius
Taupo, NZ
Sing for all the years you have been granted,
Each blessing sing, each child, girl and boy!
Verses sing for all the things you've wanted:
Each victory, each pleasure, and each joy!
No matter age or illness, sing undaunted,
Though you may be by dreams or memories haunted,
Yet sing, and life and love this day enjoy!
xxx
Marietha Brink
Cape Town,
South Africa
I want to be like you! I want to help build this great country of ours. The future for South Africa and Africa looks bright, thanks to your hard work, and the hard work of all the other people including myself, that you inspired. THE WORLD IS A BETTER PLACE BECAUSE YOU ARE IN IT! Four words: Wisdom, Patience, Serenity, and Compassion. It's up to us, now, to make you proud, by being the best we can be! Happy birthday MADIBA, and thank you for giving us FREEDOM!
Peter Roberts
Oudtshoorn, South Africa
Congratulations on your birthday and all you have achieved in your 85 years.
Bernard Lovius
Australia
To Madiba: Happy Birthday. You still continue to be an inspiration to millions of people all over the world. Keep up the awesome work.
Julian Blonski
Johannesburg, South Africa
I'm able to sit in front of a
pc, stay wherever I chose ... I can mention a lot opportunities which without our grandfather and forever our president it was not going to be possible. Most of us don't really know the extend of the pain you went through but we just want to say thank God for blessing us with a humble yet powerful person such as you. We wish a lovely day with our family on your birthday. You are the best thing that ever happened to our country, continent and the whole world. WE LOVE YOU TATA!!
Frans
Midrand, South Africa
Tata, amhlophe on your 85th and thank you for making us strive to be better persons!!!!!!
Thelekezi
Toronto, Canada
Happy Birthday from the northern part of the world, I have always heard about Nelson Mandela and South Africa. In my small municipality you are well known for your devotion to the democratic process for black people in South Africa. We are devoted to Alexandra and consider
it to be our second home. Safe, friendly in spite of all rumours.... May you still be able to tell the world how we should act.........
Annette Eidesen
North Cape, Norway
Congratulations your Excellency. For the days that the Lord blesed you in this living you saw the suffers and opressed, you sacrifised your life to bring feedom. You saw the poverty and misery within the children, you gave your time and effort to serving them and give them a better future. Your excellency may the Lord bless you with many more years and energy to fight poverty among our own people. Makorokoto, Amphlope, Happy birthday your excellence.
Johnson Gwatipedza
Cambridge, United Kingdom
Viva Madiba Viva, O Great Father of Africa, our beloved hero and saviour. May you enjoy many,many, more years of health and happiness. may your wisdom and courage steer our country back on to a path of the Freedom Charter, we need
economic sovereignity now more than ever. Please supprot the SA New Economics Network. Long Live our leader of leaders-our one and only World President.
Yajchetty
Cape Town, South Africa
May God bless you and see many more years to came. Enjoy the rest of your birthday. I love u. I thank u.
Simon
Pretoria, South Africa
Obrigada, Madiba, por todas as crianças de Africa
Nicole Guardiola
Portugal
Madiba, happy birthday! Thank you for being the outstanding, stunning person who gives us courage to change our way of thinking and inspires us to be tolerant all around the world.
Astrid Ley
Cologne, Germany
Your continued fight for the disadvantaged is a never ending inspiration. Wishing you all the best for your birthday.
Maggie Ramage
Milton Keynes, England
Happy
great birthday to the living legend of our generation - Nelson Mandela. More grease to your strength at 85 years of excellence.
Bob Tengo
Devon, England
Thank you for opening the doors for us. If it were not for you, there would be no women in mining. I am a Mining Engineer today because you liberated us. May God bless you, I would ask Him to keep you forever but that's just not possible. PHILA NGONAPHAKADE NGQOLOMSILA!
Vuyokazi Nontso
Musina, Limpopo, South Africa
Unkulunkulu abe nawe baba. You are the apartheid conqueror and hero. You have made such a profound change in the lives of people worldwide. Long live Mandela!
Esnart Chapomba
Wisconsin, USA
To a Great Man. Happy birthday. You should be an inspiration to all … leaders and followers alike.
Peter Pennick
Australia
Dear Madiba, thank you
very much for giving so much hope and peace to all citizens of our world. I have just finished reading your "Long walk to freedom", and I was deeply impressed! As a young school teacher I will read parts of your biography in the new school- year with my class, and I'm sure the children will be deeply impressed too.
Best wishes and congratulations for your 85th birthday. Thank you very much for fighting for human rights for such an incredible time span. Best wishes for your future, keep on walking on the way to freedom.
Yours faithfully,
Christian Birner
Germany
Ube nosuku oluhle lokuzalwa baba wethu omuhle. Sibonga uMdali ngokusipha wena, qhawe lamaqhawe!
Dr. Lungi Sosibo
Los Angeles, California, USA
You were created for a reason, and the reason is glaring. Happy birthday to a leader that has never been a puppet of our enemy. Those that are pretending to be our friend. Long life to
you Mandela.
Adejare Kabiru
Oakland CA. USA
President Mandela, unfortunately I did not get the privilege of voting for you and watching you become president in 1994 but I was in South Africa for your release and what an amazing day for an amazing man. You are the foundation of our amazing country and because of you great things have happened and will happen. As a South African living abroad, I want to wish you a happy birthday and hope you have a wonderful day. Thank you for all you've done. You're amazing!
Joanne Clayton
Seattle, Washington, USA
Sincere birthday greetings to an inspired and inspirational man. I spent a transformational 6 months in SA between 1989 and 1990 and one week after my return to the UK Madiba was set free. My heart is still in Africa and I will never forget the lessons I learnt there. Viva Mandela Viva.
Steve Franck
Surrey,
UK
Dear Dr Mandela, I am honoured to be South African, and a beloved son of your great words of wisdom. As you reach your 85 years, I have only managed to witness only 12 of your life, but I believe in my heart that you have made an indelible mark in the history of mankind. If you were released from prison in 1980, then South Africa could have been far from where it is now. However, GOD is the author of our lives, and had his purpose for your life. I have set a goal for myself which is not to squander any opportunity to make good when it is in my power to do so, because this is to honour the sacrifices which you made for me. At all times, I revert back to my roots, South Africa, which is where my future and that of my kids lies...and the wisdom of Mr. Nelson Mandela.
I pray to GOD to grant you many many healthy years in your life, and more courage to inspire us, the young and the old.
With every best wish.
Solomon Makoane
Washington,
DC, USA
Dear Mr Mandela. It was in a rainbow nation you ensured that people can walk tall, but your message crossed the borders of that nation. Thank you for being an example to the rest of the world. All the best for your birthday and may God bless you.
Peter Bohutnik
Heerlen, The Netherlands
Happy birthday Madiba, thank you for making us love South Africa even more because you are part of it. Love from me, my mom and my dad in Canada.
Tao Platt
Canada
Our best wishes for the 85th birthday, to the greatest man in the world.
F-ly Grozdanoski
FYRO Macedonia
Happy birthday TATA! O hole obe o kgokgobe! Matla ke a rona!
Paul Mokabe
Washington DC, USA
May you be surrounded by all your loved ones on this great birthday, knowing how many lives around the globe and at home you
have transformed through the living example of your own. Blessings and peace!
Prunella Fiddian-Green
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Happy birthday, Tata Madiba. Your life and commitment to the struggle of our people are a source of inspiration to all of us. You are a living legend. We will always follow in your footsteps! Happy birthday and good health for the years to come, from all the members of our branch.
Julies - Rossouw ANC Branch
Swellendam, Western Cape, South Africa
Peace and blessings on your 85th birthday. Your courage and truthfulness benefit the whole world. May the Creator continue to bless you.
Harold Conaway
Lawnside, New Jersey, USA
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The Nelson Mandela 85th Birthday Message Book:
