Thời sự

Nelson Mandela's death may, in the short term, unite South Africa in ways that have never been seen before.

The sentiments expressed by well-wishers of all races and backgrounds outside the hospital in Pretoria as he lay critically ill for nearly three months - the wall of deeply personal messages, the paintings, the choirs who came from across the country to sing for Mr Mandela - were a reminder of his unifying influence. We can clearly expect so much more in the coming days in this country where the emotional charge is so powerful.

This unity may coalesce around a determination to push South Africa further down the road of non-racialism, of equality of opportunity and the eradication of poverty, all of them among Nelson Mandela's most cherished ambitions for the country.

But South Africa is only months away from a general election, 20 years after the historic one of 1994. And Nelson Mandela's ANC has been facing unprecedented levels of criticism, with new partiessurfacing to challenge its hold on power since the days of apartheid.

Will the Mandela legacy help the ANC fend off the challenges, or will his passing - in the longer if not the shorter term - lead to significant change within the ANC itself. 2014 could point the way towards his political legacy.