I get the fact if you're black, and living in South Africa under Apartheid you would think Mandela is a "hero". Many blacks living here think Obama is a "hero", in spite of the fact he is destroying the very foundation this country was built on. This whole thing boils down to Capitalism vs. Communism, and the haves vs. The have not's. Nothing more.
Mandela is / was a Communist of the highest order, just like Obama. The fact is and remains that most blacks are have not's. Here, in South Africa, as well as most of the rest of the civilized world. That is not a "racist" statement, but rather one of fact. The past white leaders of South Africa were Capitalists. The country flourished economically under their rule. The problem the blacks had with that form of government is, much like here, they weren't participants in it. So because of that, much like here, they wanted to be ruled by "their own people". They got their wish under Mandela. They got it here under Obama. There is more to it than that, but that's basically it in a nutshell.
Under the Communist rule of Mandela, and subsequent black leaders like Jacob Zuma, the have not's, (blacks), were provided for in a manner they were not under Deklerk and other white rulers of that country. In the process the entire country was brought down to it's knees economically, just like every other white run nation in Africa that was handed over to the blacks. Rhodesia / Zimbabwe come to mind as an epic failure in Africa under current black rule. Hard to match Zimbabwe's inflation rate unless Obama declared Monopoly money to be real.
Much the same thing happened here. Look at Detroit, Chicago, and California if you want to see the result of veering away from Capitalism, and "leveling the playing field" by "spreading the wealth around". These cities and states are either already wastelands, (Detroit), or else they are well on their way to becoming that. (Chicago and California). Too many have not's, (minorities), while the producing people, (white haves), are moving out. The exact same thing is happening today in South Africa. The blacks are essentially celebrating fewer jobs, higher crime rates, lower property values, (think Detroit), under the Communistic rule they so wanted to have. The result is the wealth they so wanted "spread around", is quickly disappearing.
For all of this they think Mandela is / was "great". That's the same as blacks telling us today how great Detroit has evolved under Democratic, (Communist), rule. This is all nothing more than pi$$ing on their heads and telling them it's raining, and they're all believing it because they're now being ruled blacks. South Africa did what many nations in Africa have done, and the result is exactly the same. Under white rule they flourished economically, while under black rule they collapsed the economy, simply because people with money can't get out fast enough. Again, think New York, Illinois, and Detroit, who's large tax base that is required to support all these idiots, is quickly drying up. This is all as predictable as rain pouring out of dark clouds. But the blacks don't care because they've got to have their "heroes". The problem is much like here, they keep choosing idiots. All the smart blacks they want no part of, because in they're eyes they've all "gone white", (read become educated and successful).