Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

Mandela describes 10th May as a 'bright and clear autumn day' in the Southern Hemisphere, marking the formal birth of a democratic, non-racial South Africa.

1.1 The International Gathering:

The swearing-in ceremony took place in the grand sandstone amphitheatre formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria. For decades, this seat had been the supreme bastion of white supremacy; now it hosted the largest rainbow gathering of international leaders—representatives and dignitaries from over 140 nations—gathering to celebrate a common victory for justice, peace, and human dignity.

1.2 The Swearing-In Hierarchy:

Accompanying Mandela was his beloved daughter, Zenani. The ceremonial oaths were administered in strict hierarchical sequence:

• Mr. de Klerk: Sworn in first as the Second Deputy President.
• Thabo Mbeki: Sworn in next as the First Deputy President.
• Nelson Mandela: Sworn in as the President, pledging to obey and uphold the Constitution and devote himself to the well-being of the Republic and its people.

"Never, never, and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another... The sun shall never set on so glorious a human achievement. Let freedom reign. God bless Africa!"

Following the address, a spectacular aerial display underscored the military's submission to democratic constitutional rule.

2.1 The Air Force Display and Chevron Smoke Trail:

A precision squadron of South African jets, helicopters, and troop carriers roared over the Union Buildings in perfect formation. This was not merely a demonstration of pinpoint military power, but an unequivocal demonstration of the armed forces' loyalty to a freely and fairly elected government. Impala jets trailed a dramatic smoke chevron of the new national flag: black, red, green, blue, and gold.

2.2 The Historic Reversal of Salutes:

The highest military generals and police officers, whose chests were decorated with ribbons and medals from days gone by, saluted Mandela and pledged their loyalty. Mandela poignantly noted that not so many years before, these very generals would not have saluted him, but would have arrested and thrown him into prison.

2.3 Two Anthems, One Nation:

Mandela reflects on the first decade of the twentieth century, following the Anglo-Boer War, when the white-skinned peoples of South Africa patched up their differences and erected a system of racial domination against the dark-skinned peoples of their own land.

3.1 Apartheid—One of the Harshest Systems on Earth:

Apartheid created one of the darkest, most inhuman societies the world had ever known. Yet, decades of brutality and oppression had an unintended, paradoxical effect: it produced men of extraordinary courage, wisdom, and boundless generosity.

3.2 The Minerals vs. The People:

Mandela pays glowing tribute to his comrades in the struggle: Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Chief Luthuli, Yusuf Dadoo, Bram Fischer, and Robert Sobukwe. He observes:

"My country is rich in the minerals and gems that lie beneath its soil, but I have always known that its greatest wealth is its people, finer and truer than the purest diamonds."

From his comrades in the struggle, Mandela learned the true, transcendent definition of courage and the natural supremacy of love.

4.1 The Definition of Courage:

"I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."

Time and again, he saw ordinary men and women risk and give their lives for an idea, standing up to torture and brutality without breaking, displaying a strength and resilience that defies the imagination.

4.2 The Naturalness of Love:

Mandela asserts that no one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love—for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite. Even in the grimmest times in prison, when pushed to their limits, Mandela saw a glimmer of humanity in one of the guards, enough to reassure him and keep him going.

4.3 Man's Twin Obligations:

Mandela traces how his understanding of freedom underwent a profound metamorphosis from childhood to adult leadership.

5.1 Stages in the Perception of Freedom:

• Boyhood Freedom (An Illusion): Free to run in the fields near his mother's hut, free to swim in the clear stream, free to roast mealies under the stars and ride the slow-moving bulls. As long as he obeyed his father and tribal customs, he felt free.
• Student Freedom (Transitory Freedom): Freedom for himself alone—to stay out late at night, read what he pleased, and go where he chose.
• Youth in Johannesburg (Basic Human Freedom): Freedom of achieving his personal potential, earning his living, marrying, and having a family—freedoms not obstructed in a lawful life.
• Political Liberation (Universal Freedom): Discovering that not only was he not free, but his brothers and sisters were also not free. Joining the African National Congress (ANC) transformed him from a fearful youth into a bold rebel.

5.2 The Mutual Dehumanization of Oppressor and Oppressed:

The Philosophy of Mutual Liberation:
"I knew that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed. A man who takes away another man's freedom is a prisoner of hatred; he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. I am not truly free if I am taking away someone else's freedom, just as surely as I am not free when my freedom is taken from me. The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity."