Dare Not Linger

by Nelson Mandela

  24    NM, note, NMPP 2009/8, box 4, file 1, 128–9.

  25    NM, speech to the Fiftieth National Conference of the ANC, Mafikeng, 16 December 1997.

  26    NM, note, NMPP 2009/8, box 4, p. 4, NMF, Johannesburg.

  27    NM, note on response to the political report to the Fiftieth ANC Congress, December 1997, NMPP 2009/8, box 4, folder 1, pp. 1–2, NMF, Johannesburg.

  28    Ibid.

  29    Ibid.

  30    NM, address to the closing session of the Fiftieth National Conference of the ANC, 20 December 1997, Mafikeng.

  31    The Sowetan, 20 November 1996; Financial Mail, 22 November 1996.

  32    NM, ‘The Presidential Years’, p. 33.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN: ON THE AFRICAN AND WORLD STAGES

  1      Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin (Washington, DC, 1852); Booker T. Washington, Up from Slavery: An Autobiography (New York: Doubleday and Company, 1901).

  2      OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, Declaration on the Political and Socio-economic Situation in Africa and the Fundamental Changes Taking Place in the World, 9–11 July 1990, Addis Ababa.

  3      OAU, Assembly of Heads of State and Government, Declaration on the Establishment Within the OAU of a Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution, 28–30 June 1993.

  4      NM, statement at the OAU meeting of heads of state and government, Tunis, 13 June 1994.

  5      Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, interview by Tony Trew, Durban, 26 February 2016.

  6      NM, statement as chairperson of SADC at the official opening of the summit of SADC heads of state and government, Blantyre, 8 September 1997.

  7      Ibid.

  8      SADC Heads of State and Government, Summit, Gaborone, 28 June 1996.

  9      NM, SADC Organ, 7 September 1997, NMPP notes, box 5, file 3, 074–86, NMF, Johannesburg.

  10    NM, notes on SADC summit in Maputo, 2 March1998, NMPP notes, box 4, file 2, 055–60, NMF, Johannesburg.

  11    Quett Ketumile Joni Masire, Very Brave or Very Foolish?: Memoirs of an African Democrat (Botswana: Macmillan Botswana, 2006), p.279.

  12    Deputy President Thabo Mbeki, statement to the National Assembly on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Houses of Parliament, Cape Town, 21 May 1997.

  13    Ibid; Aziz Pahad, interview by Tony Trew, Johannesburg, 1 February 2016.

  14    NM, notes following a meeting with Comrade Kabila, Genadendal, 15 May 1997, NMPP 2009/8, box4, file2, pp.1–4, NMF, Johannesburg.

  15    Acting President Buthelezi, Developments in Lesotho, Statements to the National Assembly, 22 September 1998, Hansard, cols. 6763–6778.

  16    Cabinet minutes, 23 September 1998.

  17    AP Archive, ‘South Africa: President Mandela Calms Concern Over his Health’, 27 September 1998, story no. 89970.

  18    NM, State of the Nation Address, National Assembly, Houses of Parliament, Cape Town, 5 February 1999.

  19    NM at the World Economic Forum Southern Africa Economic Summit, Harare, 21 May 1997, tape 71942MT, SABC, SABC Archive, SABC Information Library, Johannesburg.

  20    NM, address to the Mercosur Heads of State Summit, Ushuaia, Argentina, 24 July 1998.

  21    NM, address at the Forty-ninth Session of the General Assembly of the UN, New York, 10 October 1994.

  22    Ibid.

  23    NM, address at the inaugural session of the Twelfth Conference of Heads of State or Government of Non-Aligned Countries, Durban, 2 September 1998.

  24    Ibid.

  25    NM, address to the Joint Houses of Congress of the USA, Washington, DC, 6 October 1994.

  26    NM, address to the Swedish Parliament, Stockholm, 18 March 1999.

  27    ‘Mandela praises Gaddafi’, Sunday Times Foreign Desk, 20 May 1990; Fritz Joubert ‘Mense in VSA vies vir Mandela’ [People in the USA are angry with Mandela], Beeld, 24 May 1990.

  28    Khalil I. Matar and Robert W. Thabit, Lockerbie and Libya: A study in International Relations (London: McFarland & Company, Inc, 2004).

  29    NM, Statement on Lockerbie drafted and released in Tunis, NMPP 2009/8, box 6, file 8a, NMF, Johannesburg.

  30    ‘SA Calls for Lifting of Sanctions on Libya’, The Star, 22 October 1997.

  31    OAU, Declarations and Decisions adopted by the Thirty-Third OAU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, Harare, 2–4 June 1997.

  32    NM visits Libya, October 1997, tape 66786, MT22, SABC, SABC TV Archive, SABC Information Library, Johannesburg.

  33    Ibid.

  34    Lyn Boyd-Judson, Strategic Moral Diplomacy: Understanding the Enemy’s Moral Universe (West Hartford, CT: Kumarian Press, 2011); Khalil I. Matar, Robert W. Thabit, Lockerbie and Libya.

  35    Lyn Boyd-Judson, Strategic Moral Diplomacy.

  36    NM, address to the Congress of the People, Libya, 19 March 1999.

  37    Jakes Gerwel, interview by Aziz Pahad, 21 July 2010.

  38    NM, statement on South Africa’s relations with the Greater Chinese Region, 27 November 1996, SABC, SABC TV Archive, tape 25459MT, SABC Information Library, Johannesburg.

  39    ‘Taiwan’s Minister Fails with Mandela’, United Press International Archive, 4 December 1996.

  40    NM, address at Beijing University, Beijing, 6 May 1999.

  41    NM, interview by Phil Molefe and Antjie Krog, ‘Farewell Interview With the SABC’, broadcast live from Qunu, SABC, 20 May 1999.

  EPILOGUE

  1      Graça Machel, interview by Mandla Langa, 22 September 2016.

  2      NM to Winnie Mandela in Kroonstad Prison, 1 February 1975.

  3      Zelda la Grange, Good Morning Mr Mandela: A Memoir (New York: Plume, 2015), p. 128.

  4      While being interviewed by a panel, this was Mandela’s answer to a question by Phil Molefe who asks about his feelings as he prepares to step down as president of the ANC. NM, televised interview on Face the Media, 14 December 1997, SABC, tape 66676MT, SABC Archive, SABC Information Library, Johannesburg.

  5      NM, closing the ANC’s Fiftieth National Conference, Mafikeng, 20 December 1997.

  6      NM, election campaign, 31 May 1999, tape 66717MT, SABC, SABC Archive, SABC Information Library, Johannesburg.

  7      NM, speech at the final sitting of the first democratically elected parliament, Houses of Parliament, Cape Town, 26 March 1999.

  Acknowledgements

  In 1971 Nelson Mandela wrote a letter from Robben Island to his old friend Fatima Meer, in which he expressed doubt about memoirs – ‘What a sweet euphemism for self-praise the English language has evolved! Autobiography.’ And yet just four years later he had embarked on the first draft of what was to become his bestselling memoir Long Walk to Freedom.

  As Mum Graça Machel indicates in the prologue to this book, the contingencies of time and struggle informed his decisions to write both Long Walk and the early sections of what has become this volume. The same contingencies ensured lengthy gestation periods for both books – each book took almost twenty years to get published.

  Given the length of its gestation and the complexity of its provenance, Dare Not Linger demands multiple acknowledgements. Mum Machel’s determination to see it through, and her constant presence through the process, inspired us. Mandla Langa was almost too good to be true as a writer willing to work with a demanding collective. Joel Netshitenzhe and Tony Trew provided extraordinary research and analysis capacity, as well as generating the first narrativisation, drawing on both Mr Mandela’s writing and the conten
ts of ‘the archive’. Tony was tireless in trawling multiple archival repositories. In this he was ably assisted by Janet Levy and the Nelson Mandela Foundation archives team – Razia Saleh, Zanele Riba, Lucia Raadschelders and Sahm Venter. As always, Sahm, the team’s senior researcher, provided authority of first and last resort on our founder’s life and times. Our chief executive, Sello Hatang, was the glue holding the whole process together – he both opened doors and held them open. The support given to us by the executors of Mr Mandela’s estate was indispensable. Special thanks are due to Judge Dikgang Moseneke.

  In the early phases of the project, as Mr Mandela toiled with pen in hand, Zelda la Grange was the dynamo maintaining its momentum. She was supported devotedly by Vimla Naidoo, Maretha Slabbert and Thoko Mavuso. Zelda also became critical to its being revived under the auspices of the Nelson Mandela Foundation after Madiba’s passing, and remained available for queries of all kinds until the end. Also playing a role in the early phases was research assistant Thembeka Mafumadi.

  Our publishing partners have been a joy to work with. Special thanks to Geoff Blackwell, Rachel Clare, Kate Cooper, Jonny Geller, Cameron Gibb, Benjamin Harris, Sloan Harris, Ruth Hobday, Jenny Moore, Georgina Morley, Terry Morris and Andrea Nattrass. Among other things, Andrea provided deep understanding of Mandla’s writing processes.

  The Industrial Development Corporation was a generous and supportive funding partner.

  We are indebted to the many individuals (some referenced, some not) who generously gave of their time and knowledge in interviews. Builders and managers of websites that ease access to historical records should also be acknowledged, as should archivists, who quietly go about preserving records and making them available without fuss or favour. And thanks also go to Chris Williams for sharing his knowledge of sources.

  In terms of the archival work underpinning this project, certain institutions and the individuals working in them require special mention:

  • Parliamentary Library, Parliament, Republic of South Africa (Sadeck Casoojee)

  • The Presidency, Republic of South Africa (Cassius Lubisi, Lusanda Mxenge, William Smith, Busani Ngcaweni, Bongani Ngqulunga, Anande Nothling and Daphne Mhlongo)

  • ANC Archives, Luthuli House (Zolile Mvunelo and Mandla Khumalo)

  • ANC Archives, National Heritage and Cultural Studies Centre, University of Fort Hare (Mosanku Maamoe)

  • National Archives of South Africa (Natalie Skomolo, Zahira Adams and Gerrit Wagener)

  • National Library, Cape Town

  • ANC Parliamentary Caucus Research and Development Unit (Mark Sweet)

  • University of Cape Town Library, African Studies Collection

  • South African Broadcasting Corporation (Sias Scott and Moloko Maserumule)

  • Historical Papers, William Cullen Library, University of the Witwatersrand (Gabriele Mohale)

  • Statistics South Africa (Pali Lehohla and Faizel Mohammed)

  • Ipsos library (Mari Harris)

  Ultimately, of course, this book belongs to Nelson Mandela. Without the abiding inspiration of his life and work it would not have been worth making. I have no doubt that he would have been pleased with Mandla’s craft as a storyteller.

  Verne Harris

  Nelson Mandela Foundation

  Index

  The index that appeared in the print version of this title does not match the pages in your eBook. Please use the search function on your eReading device to search for terms of interest. For your reference, the terms that appear in the print index are listed below.

  Abacha, Sani

  Abdurahman, Abdullah

  Accord on Afrikaner Self-Determination

  African Mine Workers’ Strike (1946)

  African National Congress (ANC)

  accused of racism

  Afrikaner Accord on Self-Determination

  Angola camps

  attendance and conduct in Parliament

  banker

  banned

  cabinet briefing

  cabinet caucus

  cabinet debates

  cabinet positions

  campaign towards a national convention

  caucus meetings

  chief whip

  Congress Alliance

  Constitutional Committee

  ‘Constitutional Guidelines for a Democratic South Africa’ (1989)

  cultural unit

  Defiance Campaign

  Department of Economic Policy

  economic plans

  election campaign

  election manifesto (1994)

  election victory

  exile

  expulsion of Holomisa

  foreign missions

  founders

  founding conference (1912)

  Freedom Charter

  gender equality issues

  government

  ‘gravy train’ criticisms

  Group of Eight

  Hani’s memorandum to leadership

  history

  hotheads

  housing targets

  Inkatha relations

  international relationships

  leadership

  leadership in exile

  Lusaka conference

  Mandela’s relationship with

  media relations

  military wing (MK) see Umkhonto weSizwe

  name

  Nasrec conference

  national anthem question

  National Conference (1991)

  National Conference (1992)

  National Conference (1994)

  National Conference (1997)

  National Executive Committee (NEC)

  National Working Committee (NWC)

  negotiators with apartheid regime

  office in exile

  Operation Vulindlela (Vula)

  Parliament location issues

  parliamentary caucus

  personnel in intelligence agencies

  police relations

  policy documents

  policy towards negotiations

  populist tendencies

  preparations for transition to government

  presidency

  Pretoria Minute

  public ownership/privatisation issues

  RDP policy

  Record of Understanding with NP

  relationship with PAC

  SADF meetings

  Shell House headquarters

  suspension of talks

  talks with government

  talks with right-wing generals

  toyi-toyi dance

  traditional African leadership role

  transfer of power to

  Treason Trial

  treasurer general

  Tripartite Alliance

  unbanned

  upper house of traditional leaders

  Xhosa issues

  African National Congress Women’s League (ANCWL)

  African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL)

  Buthelezi’s position

  influence

  leadership

  Mandela’s position

  members

  Afrikaans language

  anthem

  Mandela’s approach to

  Mandela’s study of

  Mandela’s use of

  press

  rehabilitation

  use in schools

  Afrikaanse Taal-en Kultuurvereniging (ATKV, Afrikaans Language and Cultural Association)

  Afrikaner Accord on Self-Determination

  Afrikaner Resistance Movement (Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging – AWB)

  Afrikaner Volksfront (AVF – Afrikaner People’s Front)

  AIDS

  Amandla Cultural Ensemble

  Angola

  ANC camps

  end of Civil War

  Kassinga Massacre

  MK mutiny

  MPLA

  solidarity with South Africa

  UNITA

  Annan, Kofi />
  Arafat, Yasser

  The Argus

  Asmal, Kader

  Autshumao (spelt by Mandela as Autshumayo)

  Azanian People’s Liberation Army (APLA)

  Azanian People’s Organisation (AZAPO)

  Baker, Beryl

  Baldwin, James

  Bambatha, Chief

  Bambatha Rebellion (1906)

  Bandar, Prince

  Bantu Authorities Act (1951)

  Bantustans

  ANC position

  Buthelezi’s position

  corruption

  defence forces

  intelligence agencies

  leadership

  Mandela’s views

  Mandela’s visits

  origins

  parties

  peace process

  reorganisation

  status of traditional leaders

  status under South African Constitution (1983)

  Barnard, Lukas (Niël)

  Basel Committee Core Principles Liaison Group

  Beeld

  Belafonte, Harry

  Ben Bella, Ahmed

  Biko, Stephen Bantu

  Bill of Rights

  Bizos, George

  Black Consciousness Movement

  Black Editors Forum

  Black Sash

  Boesak, Dr Allan

  Boipatong massacre

  Botha, Pieter Willem (P. W.)

  ANC talks

  appearance

  arranging secret talks with Mandela

  briefing on Malan arrest

  generals’ plot

  health

  meetings with Mandela

  negotiations for release of prisoners

  refusal to appear before TRC