Thai cave rescue project showed ubuntu at its best

The world should be celebrating the voluntarism, humility and the spirit of ubuntu demonstrated by all the volunteers, navy Seals and the divers for their selfless efforts to successfully rescue all the 12 boys and the coach who were trapped in a cave in Chiang Rai, Thailand.

The Thai boys and their football coach were rescued from deep inside a flooded cave on Tuesday, a successful end to an extraordinarily perilous mission that gripped the world for more than two weeks.

The “Wild Boars” football team, aged between 11 and 16, and their 25-year-old coach became trapped on June 23 while exploring the cave complex in the northern province of Chiang Rai when a rainy season downpour flooded the tunnels.

What looked like mission impossible turn out to be a good story with a happy ending.

The dedication and vigour, the volunteers demonstrated and performance was remarkable and some dubbed it miraculously.

Onlookers watch and cheer as ambulances transport the 10th rescued schoolboy to hospital. Picture: Linh Pham/Getty Images

This is how our icon, Nelson Mandela, would have expected all humanity to respond and give a helping hand in rescuing the boys and the coach.

As we celebrate Mandela centenary activities, particularly in this month of July which coincide with his birthday, let us applaud and celebrate this selfless demonstration by all who were part of the rescue team.

While the whole world is engulfed and besieged by all forms of social ills, a migrant crisis, poverty, hunger, inequality and other forms of deprivation, let us all of us emulate these volunteers and help those who are needy out of all forms of suffering.

Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha poses with relatives of the boys who were trapped in a flooded cave at the Tham Luang cave complex. Picture: Thailand Government House/Handout

I’m calling on all the world leaders to learn from this exercise of humility and ubuntu and make our world a better place to live in.

We should also not forget one of the divers who perished on this mission.

Petty Officer Saman Gunan died while providing supplies to the trapped boys.

He was a retired Thai Navy Seal officer.

Our collective condolences to his family, colleagues and friends. He will always be regarded as our hero who sacrifice his life to help rescue the 12 boys and the coach.

• Mafika Siphiwe Mgcina is an ANC Gauteng caucus legislator. He writes in his personal capacity.