One of the things that made me long to be back in prison was that I had so little opportunity for reading, thinking and quiet reflection after my release. I intend, amongst other things, to give myself much more opportunity for such reading and reflection.
South Africans must recall the terrible past so that we can deal with it, forgiving where forgiveness is necessary but never forgetting.
If you make one gift this year, make it the gift of knowledge.
Our daily deeds as ordinary South Africans must produce an actual South African reality that will reinforce humanity’s belief in justice, strenthen its confidence in the nobility of the human soul, and sustain all our hopes for a glorious life for all.
The greatest single challenge facing our globalised world is to combat and eradicate its disparities.
Let your greatness bloom.
I feel like a young man of 15.
Who could doubt that sport is a crucial window for the propagation of fair play and justice? After all, fair play is a value that is essential to sport.
It generally appears outlandish until its carried out.
You negotiate in bad faith if you do not forgive your adversary.
In the end, reconciliation is a spiritual process, which requires more than just a legal framework. It has to happen in the hearts and minds of people.
We recall the joy and excitement of a nation that had found itself, the collective relief that we had stepped out of our restrictive past, and the expectant air of walking into a brighter future.
Although I am a gregarious person, I love solitude even more.
There is nothing like a fixed, steady aim, with an honorable purpose. It dignifies your nature, and insures your success.
We cannot blame other people for our troubles. We are not victims of the influx of foreign people into South Africa. We must remember that it was mainly due to the aggressive and hostile policies of the apartheid regime that the economic development of our neighbours was undermined.
I’ve never had a single moment of depression, because I know my cause will triumph.
The names of Dingane and Bambata, Hintsa and Makana, Squngthi and Dalasile, Moshoeshoe and Sekhukhuni, were praised as the glory of the entire African nation. I hoped then that life might offer me the opportunity to serve my people and make my own humble contribution to their freedom struggle.
Prison life, fortunately, I spent a lot of years, about 18 years with other prisoners, and, as I say, they enriched your soul.
If you are stimulated by what you do, you never get tired.
If you don’t intend having a compromise, you don’t negotiate at all.