“Your untiring efforts on our behalf have touched the hearts of us all and you have shown true friendship and solidarity with the people of South Africa and our endeavour to transform South Africa into a free, just and democratic country.”
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
Nobel Laureate and First President of South Africa
You’ve probably seen this old South African election campaign poster of the late Nelson Mandela surrounded by children of different ethnicities.
Almost everyone recognizes this image upon sight, and even for those who don’t, its impact is just as strong.
It features a smiling Mr Mandela surrounded by kids with toothy grins – with the African National Congress campaign slogan A Better Life for All.
What is well-known is that Mr Mandela and his party enjoyed resounding success in the elections of 1994, and the joyous celebration following the victory resonated not only across Africa but around the world.
The elections were closely watched by the international community because it was the first time in South Africa’s history that citizens of all races were allowed to vote, marking a four-year process that ended apartheid.
But what many do not know is that this iconic poster is the brainchild of a Malaysian - Tan Sri Limkokwing, the Founder and President of Limkokwing University of Creative Technology.
Though he is too humble to mention it, Tan Sri Limkokwing was instrumental in Mr Mandela’s victory – from using his own company to produce 60 tonnes of ANC billboards, to providing the winning strategy behind Mr Mandela’s successful campaign.
“Your untiring efforts on our behalf have touched the hearts of us all and you have shown true friendship and solidarity with the people of South Africa and our endeavour to transform South Africa into a free, just and democratic country,” Mr Mandela said in an official letter to Tan Sri Limkokwing, following his election as President.
It is during the time that both men spent together, figuring out a way to bring a fractured and wounded nation back together, that Tan Sri Limkokwing’s love affair with Africa began.
It is a love affair that endures to this day.
With an undeniable track record of excellence in Malaysia, and coupled with his work with Mr Mandela, it is not surprising that many leaders from across Africa have sought to work with Tan Sri Limkokwing.
With campuses now operating in four African nations, Tan Sri Limkokwing still has plans to expand the Limkokwing brand of creative and innovative education across the continent.
