Dear Papa, I have come to understand over time the meaning of the word “purpose” – when past small talks evoke your legacy and recent ones pull us in so closely that they hardly allow us to breathe. Throughout this journey, we shall remember the joy of crafting a new vision of the society we wish to build; with hope, humility and a moral compass. We learned how statecraft requires clear, consistent and collaborative leadership, as well as vision and empathy. As an inveterate storyteller, you used your contagious humour and vivid metaphors to navigate through political tension. In the face of adversity, there remained courtesy, respect and friendship to influence for the common good. Together, we dreamed about a new form of inspiration, one that could lift new generations out of poverty.

At home, where small anecdotes inspired storytelling for the kids – from offering a smile while you are suffering to simply laughing together with Mandela as the latter drinks coconut water for the first time – we learned to move forward fearlessly and to build together as a team. Forgiving while still trying to touch souls... Resilience can be so much more than just a word.

I did not know it when I embarked on this journey but during these past five years dedicated to the JKC Foundation, every step has allowed hundreds of children to change their trajectories, parents to exude pride, a community to smile, and good wishers to help. Not one day has passed when someone did not reach out despite you not being here with us anymore: offering to help, advise, or simply to show friendship and love. A legacy is not merely a name and we shall remember what you brought to us and to the nation: a free spirit to transcend adversity to build the prosperity of tomorrow, the dignity that we must respect in all our fellow human beings, the hope that everyone is allowed to dream big – from education to basic human rights.

Today, as we remember this colossal heritage, we try to honour through the aptly named JKC Foundation, five years of commemoration dedicated to integrity and human wisdom. We shall continue to choose this road less travelled with grit and humility; learning from the past but remaining fundamentally focused on the future.

While you are not here with us anymore, we shall still pick the brightest star to follow and it can only be you. Unveiling the curtain to see the sky beyond...