Johnny Clegg, who died this month at the age of 66, was one of those exceptional South Africans who was able to breakdown barriers, while simultaneously building a prototype for a new way of living as South Africans. Like President Nelson Mandela, Clegg was a sign to society that difference was not there to be despised, or feared. By bravely embracing diversity, Clegg was able to bring to the fore not only the humanity of others, but also his own humanity. His haunting song about death, The Crossing, is both poignant and relevant during these unsettling times: “Oh, it’s funny how those once so close and now gone, can still so affect our lives!” Hamba Kahle Johnny Clegg! Photograph: Reuters