Unique Madiba-inspired Ford Ranger created for the Nelson Mandela Foundation
A Nelson Mandela-inspired Ford Ranger - isn't that what every patriotic, freedom-loving South African would love to have in their garage? But there can be only one, and it's destined for greater things than just looking good - it will be doing good, too!
To celebrate Mandela Month and pay tribute to Madiba, Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa has taken a Ford Ranger and transformed it into a one-of-a-kind, original four-wheel artwork for donation to the Nelson Mandela Foundation.
Hard at work for the greater good
Four talented artists, namely Koketso Sontashe, Sindiso Ndlovu, Wiseman Mngadi, and Tebogo Mohlala, were given the great honour and responsibility to create these impressive pieces of art on the Ford Ranger, by hand. It took the four-man team 48 hours, outside their regular shift work, to produce the finished artwork.
Related: A one-off Heritage Ford Ranger (2019)
“At Ford we are very proud of our South African heritage,” said Neale Hill, Managing Director of FMCSA. “The company has an exceptionally proud legacy in the country spanning more than 96 years – one built on continued investment and innovation to produce segment-defining products, empower communities through creating job opportunities, and striving to improve the world around us for a brighter future. No one did more in pursuit of the South African dream than Madiba himself; it is thus a privilege to be able to hand over this one-of-a-kind Ranger to the worthy Nelson Mandela Foundation.”
A Ford Ranger by the name of Mandla
The Ford Ranger, who has been named 'Mandla' by the staff members of the Ford SA plant, is adorned with the South African flag on the roof, while a powerful portrait of Madiba with his arm raised up, is showcased on the bonnet.
All four sides further pay homage to old-president Nelson Mandela, his foundation, and Mandela Month. The Nelson Mandela Foundation has been serving as Madiba's base for all kinds of charitable work, such as the building of schools, education research, and peace-and-reconciliation interventions.
“The name Mandla pays homage to the powerful slogan 'Amandla… Awethu' that was often chanted by Tata Nelson Mandela when he had his fist clenched up in the air. That vision of him is still in so many South African’s memories and is a prominent feature of the artwork on the vehicle. In addition, Mandla is a very popular Zulu/Xhosa name that means power or strength. I’m sure you’ll agree that this is a fitting description for our powerful Ranger,” said Hill.
Mandla will be fighting the good fight
“We are honoured to accept this generous donation from the Ford team,” said Yase Godlo of the Nelson Mandela Foundation. “The last few weeks we have been engaging regularly with the team on the project. Ford’s passion and commitment to making the vehicle a unique and fitting tribute to Mr Nelson Mandela has been admirable.
“Our mission is to contribute to the making of a just society by mobilising the legacy of Nelson Mandela, providing public access to information on his life and times, and convening dialogue on critical social issues. We look forward to being better able to complete the tasks associated with this mission enabled by the Ford Ranger,” Godlo concluded.
See the video that commemorates this special edition Ranger called Mandla, here.
Source: Ford South Africa
Recommended next
We compared Ford Ranger engines, and the efficiency crown goes to...
The Ford Ranger full range - What you need to know
Why the Ford Ranger Raptor is the perfect car for the apocalypse
