On April 27, 1994, black South Africans stood in line for hours at polls across the country to cast their first Presidential votes ever for the impassioned lawyer and activist who sacrificed 27 years of his life in South African prisons to end the brutally racist system of #apartheid --the legendary Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. So how is life for people born after the end of apartheid, the so-called "Rainbow Nation"? I had the privilege of speaking to a few of them, including recent industrial engineering university graduate Sibonisile Tshabalala of #Johannesburg and media analyst Zakithi Buthelezi of #CapeTown , and to #photojournalist Ilvy Njiokiktjien ahead of the May 1 release of her photo book "Born Free: Mandela's Generation of Hope" for this National Geographic Magazine online story. Thanks so much to all the young people who responded to my request for interview subjects. And keep watch for an upcoming blogpost featuring the eloquent, insightful and inspirational opinions of Sibonisile, who typifies the ENORMOUSLY underutilized potential of young talent on the African continent. #postapartheid #RainbowNation #SouthAfrica #Madiba #Amandla #NelsonMandela #BornFree #MandelasGenerationOfHope https://lnkd.in/euSNRRw …see more