South Africa
Madiba week: The lessons his sacrifice taught us, part V
In the final instalment this series of five videos, Mr Mandela speaks about how the struggle gained momentum despite his and his comrades' imprisonment. He recounts with humour how it was expected that he would leave prison in a short while, but that he ended up spending 27 years behind bars instead. Video courtesy of JAY NAIDOO.
Despite the isolation and the difficulty he faced in prison, he epitomises the forgiving spirit that was to mark his presidency. His foremost desire was to shake the hands of the warders that had been charged with looking after him, a reconciliatory spirit that we need to return to desperately. DM
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These are extracts from conversations with prominent leaders, recorded by the VNS/AFRAVISION video collective. This series was made possible by J&J Development Trust and the Emma Mashinini Foundation.