LONGVIEW, Texas — Pine Tree High School senior students got to hear inspirational words of reconciliation and service from none other than a former bodyguard of the first president of South Africa and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela.
Mandela's former bodyguard Rory Steyn served as a guest speaker at the high school Wednesday morning. Steyn, who was Mandela's bodyguard for five years, spoke about his experience as team leader of the esteemed world leader's personal protection team as well as hope, reconciliation and service.
Steyn has an accomplished history in the South African Police. He served as an investigator, intelligence field-worker and as section head of the police VIP Protection and Bomb Disposal Units in Johannesburg, according to his biography information.
As leader of Mandela's protection team, Steyn made sure that Mandela was safe both nationally and internationally.
He retired from the South African Police Service in 1999 with the rank of lieutenant-colonel and set up his own security consultancy with a partner. He has worked security services and consulted for security services during major worldwide events like various Olympic games, the biography stated.
"Rory is a respected and sought-after conference speaker, and is regularly interviewed on South African media regarding private security and policing matters," the biography reads.