Wahington D.C. Mayor Vince Gray said Friday that residents of his city could empathize with the late South African leader Nelson Mandela because of D.C.’s lack of congressional representation and autonomy, according to ABC News.
Gray made his comments during a press conference at the South African Embassy.
“When we can’t have the authority to be able to spend our own money,” Gray said, “and all our local laws need to go to the national legislative body in order to be approved, when we experience taxation without representation every day, when we don’t have a voting member of the national legislative body, I think the people can relate first hand to Nelson Mandela, the leadership he provided and the experience in South Africa because there are so many similarities to the experiences right here in this that we continue to endure.”
Gray, who announced he is running for re-election on Monday, also described Mandela as an “inspiration.”
“Again as I look at the circumstances that we have to endure in this city every day, this is a man who spent many years in jail, this is a man who was sentenced to life in prison and he was able to overcome those circumstances and lead South Africa,” said Gray.
