Conversations with Myself

by Nelson Mandela

  7. FROM A NOTEBOOK – THOUGHTS ON NEGOTIATING

  1) Start with negotiation

  2) Political prisoners must be released before Xmas

  Capture the thoughts and feelings of this audience in the eloquent language of art – in this particular case of vibrant music and animated dancing they are like raindrops from the blue sky

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  From a notebook.

  8. FROM A NOTEBOOK

  Think through brain not blood

  9. FROM A NOTEBOOK

  AIDS is a major problem to be tackled by the entire world. To deal with it requires resources far beyond the capacity of one continent. No single country has the capacity to deal with it.

  An AIDS epidemic will destroy or retard economic growth throughout the world. A world wide multi-faceted strategy in this regard is required.

  10. FROM A NOTEBOOK

  The continent of Africa is well aware of the importance of the environment. But most of the continent’s problems on [the] environment are simply the product of poverty and lack of education. Africa has no resources or skills to deal with desertation [sic], deforestation, soil erosion and pollution.

  None of these issues should be treated separately as if the world is not a single world. The position is worsened by the rich countries which are exploiting the poverty of the people of Africa, and dumping toxic waste on the continent. They give them money; literally bribe them to expose the population to all the dangers of pollution.

  11. FROM A NOTEBOOK

  A cardinal point that we must keep constantly in mind, the lodestar which keeps us in course, as we negotiate the uncharted twists and turns of the struggle for liberation is that the breakthrough is never the result of individual effort. It is always a collective effort and triumph.

  12. FROM THE UNPUBLISHED SEQUEL TO HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY

  During my political career, I have discovered that in all communities, African, Coloured, Indian and Whites, and in all political organisations without exception, there are good men and women who fervently wish to go on with their lives, who yearn for peace and stability, who want a decent income, good houses and to send their children to the best schools, who respect and want to maintain the social fabric of society.

  13. FROM A NOTEBOOK

  21.9.92

  Troika, investigation, mass actions – feeling

  Indictment, concern for economy, social fabric of blacks

  Boardroom should be swept before we meet at 1 pm

  14. FROM A NOTEBOOK

  In future you must come early

  Stronger movement for unity

  Case to disgrace certain organisations

  Attack a young man who is unable to defend himself

  Review

  Admission

  100 of thousands

  Humphrey – video

  Will consult chiefs

  Chiefs must not be members of political organisations

  [December 1991]

  15. FROM A DRAFT LETTER TO GRAÇA MACHEL, C.19922

  Losing your luggage, especially on your way abroad, must have been a painful experience. I do not want to think of the embarrassment and inconvenience you suffered among strangers in foreign countries. Fortunately you told me about it almost at the end of your visit, to that extent my distress was eased by the knowledge that you would soon be back, and join the children.

  They must have missed you very much and, in spite of your and Zina’s assurance I found it difficult to be comforted …To your brother you are becoming very special and a lot of thinking and feeling was centred on you. Visiting two capitals must have been somewhat strenuous, but you are a remarkable person, and you have enormous capacity to take such a workload in your stride.

  I think of you.

  16. FROM A NOTEBOOK DURING POLITICAL NEGOTIATIONS AT CODESA (CONVENTION FOR A DEMOCRATIC SOUTH AFRICA)3

  1) Suggestion for stopping violence

  2) Can we remain indifferent to the slaughter and continue to talk to regime?

  3) Would pulling out of Codesa not be shortest way to breakthrough?

  4) Would withdrawal

  17. FROM A NOTEBOOK

  20.8.92

  Meeting with 3 regions of Natal4

  Violence: no of deaths

  March

  140 died

  April

  91

  May

  79

  June

  82

  July

  133

  Aug

  52

  Over 700 people died

  7 000 refugees in Midlands

  Ngwelezana and Stanger

  Attacks by small groups of armed men – attacks houses in strongholds of ANC. Main targets ANC and alliance.

  Intimate [sic] role of security forces.

  Pump gun – using pellets.

  Attacks of people only from ANC events.

  Existence of hit squads –

  June – 119 people died from hit-squads

  45 occurred in Natal

  18. FROM A NOTEBOOK

  26.8.92

  Whoever runs [the] country he will want a good economy.

  2 mnths [months] – economy going down.

  To retrieve economy will be extremely difficult.

  19. FROM A NOTEBOOK

  I was in prison when she [Ruth First] was assassinated felt almost all alone. Lost a sister in arms.

  It is no consolation to know that she live[s] beyond her grave. This commemoration

  A Jewish woman from a well-to-do family broke ranks with her privileged comm[unity]

  20. FROM A DRAFT LETTER TO PRESIDENT F W DE KLERK, C.1992, ON THE EVE OF THE BISHO MASSACRE5

  To be sent to Mr F.W. de Klerk by 7.30 am

  I refer to our conversation earlier this evening, and I confirm that what you conveyed to me is inconsistent with the contents of your letter of 4 September 1992.

  In that letter you refer expressly to actions being planned in the Ciskei on 7 September 1992. You then state that your Government has no objection to peaceful demonstrations which take place within the parameters of the National Peace Accord and the guidelines of the Goldstone Commission.6

  For this reason, you pointed out; you do not question the key objectives of the organizers of the planned march as have been defined.

  You further point out that you are doing everything possible to help in the arrangement of an agreement between all those involved which will ensure that the planned action takes place peacefully. You then appeal to me to ensure that the ANC [African National Congress] gives its cooperation in this regard. I readily assured you of our cooperation.

  All these statements and assurances concerned what is planned inside, and not outside, the Ciskei.

  Our entire position today has drastically shifted. Nowhere in the above-mentioned letter did you even hint that, while you were soliciting our cooperation, you were at the same time deploying troops on the Ciskeian borders, erecting road blocks and declaring unrest areas, all of which… to your knowledge, create tensions.

  Equally disturbing is the fact that this evening you state, contrary to your letter of 4 September, that you will not interfere in the internal affairs of the Ciskei. These contradictions are unfortunate and tend to strengthen then the perception that you and I are not negotiating in good faith. I urge you to honour our agreement of 4 September, and not to do anything which may damage the climate for peaceful negotiations for which we have all worked so hard to create.

  I further confirm that we do not recognise the Bantustans, and accordingly do not consider ourselves bound by the decisions of its courts. We hope that all the parties concerned will help to diffuse the volatile situation and allow the demonstrations to proceed as planned.

  The march will be led by our Secretary-General, Cyril Ramaphosa, Chris Hani, Gertrude Shope, Ronnie Kasrils, Raymond Suttner, Tony Yengeni and others.7

  Yours sincerely
,

  Nelson Mandela

  President, ANC.

  21. FROM A NOTEBOOK

  Our strength lies in discipline.

  Right to peaceful demonstration

  It was criminal.

  Forces for democracy.

  Not of revenge. Keep in state of readiness

  Whatever we do must be within the peace process. We cannot allow ourselves to be accused of violating peace process.

  22. FROM A NOTEBOOK

  Our present position on this aspect is the same as that of the Federal Republic of Germany, which contains in its constitution a clause on nationalization as one of the options the Government might employ in case of need. That option has not been exercised in that country for decades.

  South African economy is in a parlous state.

  23. FROM A NOTEBOOK, C.1993

  In the period we are all going into we have to consider moving away from our past – must change our approach.

  In such a situation all people become concerned about the future. What’s going to happen to me, wife and chldn [children]. Every country needs a police force which protects its, their values.

  We… who have been struggling have to change.

  We come from an environment which saw police force as hostile. You come from a background where Govt [goverment] used you to defend interests of ruling party. No doubt many of you joined force to serve State and people. But ruling party made itself synonymous with that state.

  Now moving to a state where all of us want to be part of state – police force can now protect people.

  Best thing is that those who were in police force and outside police force do it together.

  There is no doubt that ANC [African National Congress] is going to be major party in Govt. We want to avoid mistake of the past, we do not want police to be defenders of the ANC. That does not mean that you are neutral to police as individuals.

  Police force are neutral to party politics, but defenders of democracy.

  Address their concrete concerns.

  Obviously there are going to be changes. The experience of running a p. [police] force exists in this current phase.

  Ideally all changes must include members of police force and those not members. Whatever changes are done are done with their involvement.

  This is approach we are taking I. G. of N [Interim Government of National] – Unity – champion.

  Appealing to them to become part of that process of change – in particular change of police force. That way they will make sure that ANC addresses their concerns.

  24. FROM THE UNPUBLISHED SEQUEL TO HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY

  In 1959 [Chris] Hani had enrolled at Fort Hare University and attracted the attention of Govan Mbeki. Govan played a formative role in Hani’s development. It was here that Hani encountered Marxist ideas and joined the already illegal and underground South African Communist Party. He always emphasized that his conversion to Marxism also deepened his nonracial perspective. Hani was a bold and forthright young-man and did not hesitate to criticise even his own organisation when he felt it was failing to give leadership. He recalled that: ‘Those of us in the camps in the Sixties did not have a profound understanding of the problems. Most of us were very young, in our early twenties. We were impatient to get into action. “Don’t tell us there are no routes,” we used to say. “We must be deployed to find routes. That’s what we were trained for.”’

  25. FROM A TELEVISED ADDRESS TO THE NATION AFTER CHRIS HANI WAS ASSASSINATED BY JANUSZ WALUŚ ON 10 APRIL 19938

  Tonight I am reaching out to every single South African, black and white, from the very depths of my being.

  A white man, full of prejudice and hate, came to our country and committed a deed so foul that our whole nation now teeters on the brink of disaster.

  A white woman, of Afrikaner origin, risked her life so that we may know, and bring to justice, this assassin.9

  The cold-blooded murder of Chris Hani has sent shock waves throughout the country and the world. Our grief and anger is tearing us apart.

  What has happened is a national tragedy that has touched millions of people, across the political and colour divide.

  Our shared grief and legitimate anger will find expression in nationwide commemorations that coincide with the funeral service…

  Now is the time for all South Africans to stand together against those who, from any quarter, wish to destroy what Chris Hani gave his life for – the freedom of all of us.

  Now is the time for our white compatriots, from whom messages of condolence continue to pour in, to reach out with an understanding of the grievous loss to our nation, to join in the memorial services and the funeral commemorations.

  Now is the time for the police to act with sensitivity and restraint, to be real community policemen and women who serve the population as a whole. There must be no further loss of life at this tragic time.

  This is a watershed moment for all of us.

  Our decisions and actions will determine whether we use our pain, our grief and our outrage to move forward to what is the only lasting solution for our country – an elected government of the people, by the people and for the people.

  We must not let the men who worship war, and who lust after blood, precipitate actions that will plunge our country into another Angola.

  Chris Hani was a soldier. He believed in iron discipline. He carried out instructions to the letter. He practised what he preached.

  Any lack of discipline is trampling on the values that Chris Hani stood for. Those who commit such acts serve only the interests of the assassins, and desecrate his memory.

  When we, as one people, act together decisively, with discipline and determination, nothing can stop us.

  Let us honour this soldier for peace in a fitting manner. Let us rededicate ourselves to bringing about the democracy he fought for all his life: democracy that will bring real, tangible changes in the lives of the working people, the poor, the jobless, the landless.

  26. FROM THE UNPUBLISHED SEQUEL TO HIS AUTOBIOGRAPHY

  Hani put the last years of his life [into] tirelessly addressing meetings throughout the length and breadth of South Africa: village gatherings, shop stewards councils and street committees. He [lent] all his authority and military prestige to defend[ing] negotiations, often speaking patiently to very [sceptical] youths, or committees suffering the brunt of Third Force violence…Clive Derby-Lewis admitted that they had hoped to derail negotiations by unleashing a wave of race hatred and civil war. It is a tribute to the maturity of South Africans of all persuasions, and it is a tribute to the memory of Hani, that his death, tragically but factually, finally brought focus and urgency to our negotiated settlement.

  27. FROM A NOTEBOOK

  14.5.93

  1.

  Priority is commitment to oppressed.

  Will fall or rise depending on our success or failure to address their needs, to accommodate their aspirations.

  Specifically we must get them houses and put to an end informal settlements; end unemployment, school crisis, lack of medical facilities.

  2.

  Fears of minorities about future.

  3.

  Threat from right-wing not from black surrogates.

  28. FROM A CONVERSATION WITH RICHARD STENGEL

  You see, Chris Hani was a hero amongst our people, especially to the youth, and there was anger at his death. We had to do something to channel away that anger, and the only thing we could do was to have demonstrations throughout the country so that the people could find expression for their anger. If we had not done so the right wing and these sinister elements would have succeeded in drawing the country [in]to a racist war and incalculable loss of human lives and bloodshed… But because of the steps that we took we prevented that, and in spite of… isolated incidents of violence, those demonstrations went on very well… We frustrated the objective of the people who killed Hani.

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  Mandela notes the address of Graça Machel (who was later to become his third wife) on his personalised notepaper.

  29. FROM A NOTEBOOK

  I met Graça Machel in Johannesburg on no less than three different occasions. She always was polite, discrete and understanding. But in Maputo, where she was Minister of Education and Culture for 14 years, and where she still remains Member of Parliament in charge of International Affairs, I met a totally different Graça, firm and authoritative even though courteous and charming. I had enormous respect for President Chissano.10

  30. FROM A NOTEBOOK,C.1993

  I will leave at 7 am tomorrow for Pieterm[aritzburg] + will return on Sunday evening. Some third force elements, believed to be State Security Service, have in that area, recently killed an alarmingly large number of innocent civilians, including children going to school. The massacre started a day before the start of the peace talks in Johannesburg. We suspect that these elements want our people to continue to slaughter one another [with] the ultimate aim of stopping negotiations. Our investigations show serious discrepancies between the police version of what happened and ours.

  31. FROM A NOTEBOOK, C.1993

  Writing letters to friends used to be one of my favorite hobbies and each letter gave me a lot of pleasure. Pressure of work now makes it impossible for me to engage in this hobby. Apart from typed formal letters from the President’s office, I cannot remember ever writing any message similar to this letter since February 1990.

  32. FROM A DRAFT LETTER TO GRAÇA MACHEL

  The situation in Angola is causing great concern.

  Now on a personal note: Mr Samaranch, President of the International Olympic Committee, has invited me to a health farm in Switzerland for a check-up and treatment presumably for about 7 days; Although I know very little about such health centres, I have agreed to go. You probably know better in this regard than me and I would be happy to get your advice.

  Meeting the girls for the first time made me hesitant to discuss certain ideas with them, at least with Olivia. I wanted to find out about her schooling. Being your daughter a lot is expected of her both inside and outside Mozambique. The upgrading [of] high academic qualifications would certainly put her in a better position to serve Mozambique and its people. If she is interested in going to High School or university you and I can then discuss the matter further. It may perhaps be wise not to mention the matter to her until we have exchanged views.