osmosis: the process of gradual or unconscious assimilation of ideas, knowledge, etc.
I was rushing to catch my plane in Cape Town when a burly, middle-aged black man flung his arms around me, held me in a tight grip, and kept saying: “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
His embrace could only have been in response to the recent decision of South Africa’s Constitutional Court, where in no uncertain terms the Chief Justice ordered President Jacob Zuma to pay back money spent unconstitutionally on security upgrades to his private home; the Chief Justice also rebuked Parliament for not exercising sufficient oversight.
Despite the fact that I had served on the Constitutional Court for 15 years, the unknown man’s gratitude was misplaced. “It wasn’t me,” I protested. “I’ve been off the court for several years.” I had to pull myself away to reach the departure gate as it was closing.
Nevertheless, I shared his jubilation. Millions of South Africans had watched the proceedings on television and cellphones. Their spirits had been lifted. I felt immense pride for the painstaking effort we, the first justices on the court, had put into establishing a completely new institution to defend our pristine open democracy.
More at the source: Globe & Mail
Albie Sachs is a former justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa. He will deliver the Global Centre for Pluralism Annual Lecture in Toronto on May 19.
Related
Ismailimail 