Leyla T Hairdarian

WHAT happens when two ordinary South Africans ask some of our greatest personalities — from politicians to musicians — to share what it is that inspired them to become who they are?

The answer is that they collect the responses and publish them in a little book, which is touted as “funny, serious, revealing … a fingerprint of our times … A book to make you proud to be a South African.”

Ja well no fine. The above applies only if you have always regarded South Africans as stupid, self-centred, narrow-minded and sanctimonious, and it’s a great shame many of the B- and C- list celebrities whose blatherings fill these pages appear to be exactly that.

Every actor, sports personality or politician whose Oscar acceptance-style warblings of “first I want to thank my Mother — love ya, Mom! — My fans — you’re the greatest! — And Nelson Mandela — I couldn’t have done it without you, Madiba!” are presented for our perusal, should have been balanced by the inclusion of a character with an IQ of more than two digits.

Not to say the book is rubbish, but the content is taken so seriously as to be seriously boring.

Where are the David Bullards, Barry Ronges and Darrel Bristow-Boveys? The Travatos, the Pieter-Dirk Uyses and the rest of our formidable local pantheon of wit and wisdom?

In politics, why must we settle for Kader Asmal, Tony Leon, Patricia de Lille and Mangosuthu Buthelezi — what of Nelson Mandela, Helen Suzman, Thabo Mbeki and Eugene Terreblanche?

What we are left with are 67 South Africans of various races, sexes and disciplines, sharing “the personal experiences and philosophies that have shaped” them.

Some contributions are short and heartfelt — take Mail & Guardian editor Ferial Haffajee, who says: “The writer Charlene Smith once accused me of girly coyness because I mention my mother in most interviews I give. I plead guilty. My mother is my everyday inspiration and my best friend.”

Others are brief and revealing, like Mark Pilgrim: “I was diagnosed with testicular cancer which, because I left it so long, spread to my lungs and kidneys. I fought the battle … and won. Who inspires me? Me.”

But in addition to pithy, quarter-page entries we have the verbose outpourings of Ahmed Kathrada, Leon, Sindiwe Magona and Maria Ramos, or the gushy outpourings of Maria Rose and Pam Golding.

Not to mention those which are just plain sycophantic and/or politically correct — Gary Player, Albie Sachs, Francois Pienaar, Tové Kane and Nadine Gordimer. And then there are also those that are waffly, pretentious or boring — Fiona Ramsey, Yvonne Muthien, Gordon Oliver, Lowell Johnson and Raymond Ackerman.

But the book is remarkable not for what is said but for what it reveals about our national psyche.

The phrase, “As American as mom and apple pie”, does not quite apply to South Africans since no single correspondent cited apple pie as “making a difference in my life”.

And God, that universal favourite when it comes to thank-yous, is notably absent from our mind-set — replaced, perhaps, by pious references to political figures with Nelson Mandela being the Father, while Walter Sisulu and Albert Luthuli are the Son and Holy Spirit.

It reassuring to learn that family, especially Mum, is the source of inspiration to over half those canvassed: brothers, sisters, grandparents and dads are all important, but for most of us, our mothers are the guiding light.

More than 10% list teachers as being their primary influence: given our educational history, it is not surprising that the majority of those were white, but it does prove good teachers can make the difference. More than 25% cited other influences: some merely misunderstood the question and took the opportunity to blow their own trumpets, but there were a few who cited religious beliefs.

If people from Mangosuthu Buthelezi to Leon to Penny Heyns to Rayda Jacobs consider their mothers the most important influence in their lives, I can’t help wondering whether today’s mums are fulfilling the same role. Are today’s dads empowering them to do so? We’ll have to wait for the 2030 edition of this book to find out.… (more)