QUOTES FROM THE PUBLICATION “NELSON MANDELA BY HIMSELF”
“Let no individual, section, faction or
group ever regard itself as greater than the organisation and the common good
of all our people”.
“A political movement must keep in touch
with reality and the prevailing conditions” – Presidential address to the ANC Transvaal
Congress, also known as the “no easy walk to freedom”
speech, Transvaal, South Africa 21 September 1953
“Individuals will come and go but the
organisation will go on, I believe, forever” – BBC (UK) interview
The Collective
“We
don’t want to raise the role of any particular
individual above the collective itself” – Conversation with Ahmed Kathrada, Circa
1993/1994
“We
are a product of a collective leadership and almost everything we have achieved
we have achieved together” -
Revisiting Robben Island 11 February 1994
“We
have also seen the emergence of elitism among some of our members. Notions have surfaced of entitlement to decision-making
positions, which have led to a break in the sustained interaction between some
of our leaders, on one hand, and our organisation and people, on the other”
–
50th National Conference of the ANC, North West University, Mafikeng
Campus, South Africa, 16 December 1997
Compromise
“Compromise must be made in respect to every
issue as long as that compromise is in the interest, not only of one population
group but for the country as a whole.
That is the nature of compromises”
“Human beings will always be able to find
arguments for confrontation and no compromise.
We humans, are, however, the beings capable of reason, compassion and
change” – Message to the Global Convention on Peace
and Non-Violence, New Delhi, India 31 January 2004
“Memory is a vital force in the life of
people and nations and can help unite divided societies. My foundation will continue to bring people
together, providing a safe space, especially for those who disagree, to listen
and talk to each other” – A recorded message for a gala dinner in
Monaco ‘United for a Better World’,
1 December 2004
Elections
“People should be free to form or belong to
parties of their choice. There should be
regular elections so that the people decide who should take the driving seat”
–
Conference convened by the Consultative Business Movement on the Theme ‘Options
for Building an Economic Future’, 23 May 1990
Our Future
“Our future as human beings depend on our
intelligent and prudent use of the oceans.
And that in turn will depend on the determined efforts of dedicated
women and men from all parts of our planet” – Nelson Mandela, Fifth Session of the Independent World
Commission on the Oceans, Cape Town, South Africa, 11 November 1997
