Interview with CNN's Nadia Bilchik

“ Would be interesting to see if Candice Mama will be running for office”

-Nadia Bilchik

Upon arriving at the beautiful and picturesque Inanda Country Club to MC, The SOS Children’s Home Fundraiser - The phenomenal and brilliant Nadia Bilchik  and I sat down for an interview

Nadia: When you say the name Candice Mama - South Africans will talk about reconciliation, forgiveness, happiness. She’s become a global speaker and authority in this area. To understand why you would have to meet this remarkable young woman. Candice I am so happy to meet you and interview you

Candice: Thank you Nadia, Im so happy to be here

Nadia: So for global audiences, your father was brutally murdered during the apartheid regime. Won’t you tell us a little bit about your father and how it was for you as a little girl

Candice: When I was 9 months old my father was brutally killed by an apartheid assassin by the name of Eugene De Kock. Growing up I didn’t know the details of my fathers death, however at the age of nine I discovered a book titled “Into The Heart Of Darkness” by Jacques Pauw. My mom had purchased the book and would always show others but never let us see. Until one day my curiosity got the better of me and when she wasn’t home I decided to have a look and inside was a picture of my dad’s burnt body clutching a steering wheel.

I shut the book in fear and was forever changed by that experience

Nadia: What year was your father killed?

Candice: Unfortunately he was killed in 1992. From the age of nine I just became angrier and angrier, more depressed . By the time I was 16 I thought I was having a heart attack my mom rushed me to the hospital. After being admitted and checked the Doctor sat us down and said - you weren’t having a heart attack however you have ulcers so severe they are from someone double your age.

I thought to myself if he knew what I had been through he wouldn’t judge me. However by the age of 17 I decided to change my life and thats really when my journey of forgiveness began

Nadia: And you now speak really around the world on forgiveness and reconciliation. What advice do you have for us? Because everyone has something they angry about, that they cant quite let go?

Candice: First is always acknowledgement, at times the reason we can’t deal with something is because we so busy running away from it. Acknowledge your pain, know that your feelings are justifiable 

Second accept your feelings in order to move forward

Then choose to move past it, its a daily decision you make to let go of the emotional burden and focus on what brings you joy and peace

At times people will say it’s like AA and it truly is because its not a magic pill solution its a choice to continuously move through you pain towards your fulfilment

Nadia:Deep accountably 

Candice: It is deep accountability, choosing a different path. Its not enough to not want to be angry. You have to find your bliss, find your joy

Nadia: You must hear the most extraordinary stories. I have no doubt when you share this people share too. Candice you also model now, what else do you do that bings you joy?

Candice: Wow, I do so much. Im a joy chaser, Im an emcee, a speaker, really a creative. My joy comes from creating projects, written or otherwise

Nadia: She set up this shoot by the way, chose the location and the lighting

Candice:  *laughing*  yes. I love the creative space and anything that allows me to thrive within it. It seems as though I do a lot of things however the all really fall into the category of creation

Nadia: So one tip for us, someone is feeling a sense of hopelessness or angry?

Candice: I’d first say feel, we become so obsessed with running towards a different emotion we don’t sit with our feelings and what triggered the emotion. Give yourself the time the process then call it by its name  outlaid three times. “Anger Anger Anger” and all of a sudden it starts to move away

Dr Jill Taylor once siad once you call out an emotion you short circuit the momentary feeling

Nadia: As a born free what is your advice to president Cyril Ramaphosa?

Candice: I would say pay attention to the youth. More youth engagement is necessary in today’s landscape allowing the youth to have a voice when it comes to polices that will affect them as the incoming generation. This is what I would say to all global leaders, with the ever-changing and fast moving technology landscape. Youth are more informed and have more ability to influence the future than what they are given credit for

Nadia: Would be interesting to see if Candice Mama will run for office 

Candice: Laughs - we’ll just have to wait and see