Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom Notes Chapter 2 English Class 10

Source: Extract from Mandela’s autobiography Long Walk to Freedom.
Theme: Mandela’s experiences and thoughts during the inauguration as the first Black President of South Africa (10 May 1994).
Background:
- Apartheid: Racial segregation system in South Africa, favouring whites.
- Mandela: Leader of the African National Congress (ANC), spent 30 years in prison fighting apartheid.
- In 1994, South Africa held its first democratic elections, ending centuries of racial oppression.

Venue: Union Buildings amphitheatre, Pretoria.
Historic because:
- Largest gathering of international leaders on South African soil.
- End of white supremacy, beginning of a democratic and non-racial government.
Swearing-in ceremony:
- Mr. de Klerk → Second Deputy President.
- Thabo Mbeki → First Deputy President.
- Nelson Mandela → President of South Africa.
Mandela’s pledge: To obey the Constitution, serve his people, and work for peace, justice, and dignity.

Freedom was born after “an extraordinary human disaster” (apartheid).
South Africa’s victory was not only for its own people but for justice, peace, and human dignity worldwide.
Mandela thanked all international leaders for recognising the triumph of democracy.
Ideals set out for the future:
- End poverty, deprivation, suffering, and all kinds of discrimination.
- Never again allow oppression of one group by another.
- Build a society based on equality and human rights.

Military Parade:
- South African jets, helicopters, and troop carriers flew in perfect formation.
- Signified loyalty of the armed forces to democracy.
- Irony: Earlier, the same army would have arrested Mandela.
Flag Colours: Jets left trails of black, red, green, blue, and gold → colours of the new national flag.
National Anthems:
- Whites sang Nkosi Sikelel -iAfrika.
- Blacks sang Die Stem.
- Showed unity, reconciliation, and mutual respect.

Early 20th century: Whites created a cruel system of racial domination.
Late 20th century: That system was destroyed forever; replaced by democracy.
Mandela felt:
- He was a representative of all patriots who had sacrificed before him.
- Pain that they could not witness the victory.
He recalled leaders like Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Chief Luthuli, Yusuf Dadoo, Bram Fischer, Robert Sobukwe who inspired him.

Apartheid = Deep wound in the country and its people.
Recovery will take years, if not generations.
Ironically, apartheid also created great leaders of courage and generosity.
Mandela believed:
- South Africa’s greatest wealth = its people, not minerals.
- True richness lies in courage, kindness, and unity.

Courage = not the absence of fear, but triumph over fear.
A brave man is not one who does not fear, but one who conquers it.
In prison, Mandela saw a glimmer of humanity even in guards, which gave him hope.
Belief: Love comes naturally to human hearts, not hatred.

To family (parents, wife, children).
To community and country.
In South Africa under apartheid:
- Black men could not fulfil both obligations.
- If they served their people, they were separated from families and forced to live secretly in struggle.
Mandela:
- Did not choose to put nation above family at first.
- But circumstances forced him to sacrifice family life for freedom struggle.

Childhood Freedom:
- Running in fields, swimming, playing, enjoying tribal life.
Student Freedom:
- “Transitory” freedoms → staying out late, reading, travelling.
Young Man’s Freedom:
- Honourable freedoms → earning livelihood, marriage, family.
Realisation:
- His personal freedom was meaningless as long as his people were not free.
- His hunger for personal freedom became hunger for freedom of all people.

Freedom is indivisible:
- Chains on one person = chains on all people.
The oppressor is also not free:
- He is a prisoner of hatred and narrow-mindedness.
- True freedom means liberation of both oppressed and oppressor.