All audio credit: Nelson Mandela Foundation
Audio 1
- How he gets his English name
- Relationship with King (Regent) and Queen of the Abathembu; reminiscing about Qunu
- Anecdotes – Clarkebury and Healdtown
- Describing his initiation ceremony into manhood
- Describing Healdtown; the principle Arthur Wellington and visit by Xhosa poet Mqhayi
- Duties of the prefect at Healdtown
- Describing being at the University of Fort Hare; SRC election; returns home and the Regent arranges a marriage
- Describing search of the suitcase at Crown Mines, Johannesburg; meeting Walter Sisulu and others – opening up a whole new world to him
- Garlick Mbekeni introduces him to Walter Sisulu, describes his early years in Johannesburg
- Describes being the first black law student at Wits, and his classmates
- Describing joining the ANC in 1944, and the establishment of the ANC Youth League
- Describes the impact of the 1946 Indian passive resistance campaign on him
- Describes the unexpected victory of the National Party in 1948
- Describes the use of non-violence as a strategy and not a principle; arm resistance becomes a reality
- Describes receiving military training from Colonel Tadesse, Ethiopia and by the Algerians where he uses a gun for the first time
- Describes writing of the Statement from the dock, and reading it in the court
Audio 2
- Recalling how visits to RI were conducted.
- Mobilising in prison; use of hunger strikes; describes first struggle – going slow.
- Describes different diets for African, coloureds and Indians
- Demands washing of their own clothes
- Complaints against Prison authorities
- Singing whilst working was banned but continued in the evening
- Demand for productive work, moved from lime quarry to sea
- Did not receive corporal punishment
- Fighting the policy of the prison department not individual warders
- On RI got authorities to treat them as political prisoners; when transferred to another prison had to start again.
- On arrival of youth to RI after 1976
- On being transferred to Pollsmoor Prison, together with Sisulu
- Describes cell and conditions at Pollsmoor; exercising at Pollsmoor
- Fitness training in prison Mon to Thur
- Describes hearing that his eldest son died; refused permission to attend the funeral
- Death of his mother
- Think carefully before he takes a decision
- Trip in the city (CT) in Dec 1984
- Relates memo to PW Botha, and meeting him on 5 July 1989
- On his being released
- On Kobie Coetsee
- On being transferred to Victor Verster
- Start talks with the government when he was living alone on Victor Verster; did not tell his comrades beforehand
- On telling his comrades in Pollsmoor, and Oliver Tambo in Lusaka of talking with the government
- Obstacles to negotiation, including the armed struggle
- Visit to Tuynhuys; meeting with FW de Klerk
- De Klerk involved in preparation of his meeting PW Botha
- Describes his release at 4pm, receives call from Clarens Kuyter who asks him to walk out of the gate; and drive to CT
- Surprise at seeing the crowd at the gate
- Describes being caught in the crowd
- Call from Tutu; arrive at grand parade, reads his speech
- Explains collective approach in drafting speech
- Goes to Bishopscourt – Tutu’s house for the night
- Address press conference Mon morning
- Explains why he thought it was time to negotiate
- Morale was high – didn’t ever think he will die in jail
- Came back with the same views and political passion as when he went to jail but in jail had lots of time to think;
- People have both flaws and strength, and allowances should be made for both