This chapter is an extract from Nelson Mandela's autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. It describes the historic day of 10 May 1994, when Mandela was sworn in as South Africa's first black President after more than three centuries of white rule. The extract also looks back at the long struggle against apartheid, the years Mandela spent in prison, and the personal transformation that turned a frightened young man into a bold leader. Students will learn how Mandela understood freedom at different stages of his life, why he believed the oppressor is not truly free, and how courage, resilience and forgiveness shaped his vision of a non-racial, democratic South Africa. The chapter also offers rich lessons in language, contrast and the use of the definite article with proper nouns.
What you'll learn
1Describe the historic inauguration of Nelson Mandela as South Africa's first black President.
2Explain the meaning and impact of apartheid on South African society.
3Trace how Mandela's understanding of freedom changed from childhood to adulthood.
4Analyse Mandela's views on courage, resilience and the relationship between the oppressor and the oppressed.
5Identify the twin obligations Mandela mentions and the conflict between them.
6Interpret the significance of the two national anthems and the military salute.
7Use the definite article with proper nouns and form nouns from verbs using suffixes.
8Appreciate the balanced, contrasting style of Mandela's writing.
Chapter at a glance
01Mandela's Early Life and Family Background
02The Struggle Against Apartheid in South Africa
03Imprisonment, Resilience, and Personal Transformation
04Freedom, Reconciliation, and Legacy
Detailed chapter notes
01
The Historic Inauguration
The chapter opens on 10 May 1994, a bright and clear autumn day in South Africa. Mandela describes how he was pleasantly besieged by dignitaries and world leaders who had come to pay their respects before the inauguration. The ceremony took place in the sandstone amphitheatre formed by the Union Buildings in Pretoria, which had for decades been the seat of white supremacy. Now it became the site of a rainbow gathering of different colours and nations, marking the installation of South Africa's first democratic, non-racial government. Mandela was accompanied by his daughter Zenani. Mr de Klerk was sworn in as second deputy president, Thabo Mbeki as first deputy president, and then Mandela took his oath, pledging to obey and uphold the Constitution and devote himself to the well-being of the Republic and its people.
Date10 May 1994
LocationUnion Buildings amphitheatre, Pretoria
de Klerksecond deputy president
Thabo Mbekifirst deputy president
Mandelafirst black President of South Africa
02
Mandela's Speech and the Military Display
In his address, Mandela declared that the presence of all gathered there conferred glory and hope on newborn liberty. Out of an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long, a society of which all humanity would be proud must be born. He thanked the international guests for joining the people of South Africa in a common victory for justice, peace and human dignity. He pledged to liberate all people from poverty, deprivation, suffering, gender and other discrimination, and declared that never again would the beautiful land experience the oppression of one by another. A spectacular array of jets, helicopters and troop carriers roared over the Union Buildings in perfect formation, demonstrating the military's loyalty to democracy. The highest generals saluted Mandela, though not many years before they would have arrested him. A chevron of Impala jets left a smoke trail of the new South African flag's colours.
Extraordinary human disasterapartheid
Glorious human achievementthe birth of a democratic, non-racial society
Military display showed loyalty to the new democratically elected government
Chevrona pattern in the shape of a V
03
Two National Anthems and a Sense of History
The day was symbolised for Mandela by the playing of two national anthems: whites sang 'Nkosi Sikelel – iAfrika' and blacks sang 'Die Stem', the old anthem of the Republic. Although neither group knew the lyrics of the anthem they once despised, they would soon know the words by heart. Mandela was overwhelmed with a sense of history. In the first decade of the twentieth century, after the bitter Anglo-Boer war and before his birth, the white-skinned peoples of South Africa patched up their differences and erected a system of racial domination against the dark-skinned peoples. That system formed the basis of one of the harshest, most inhumane societies the world has ever known. Now, in the last decade of the twentieth century, it had been overturned forever and replaced by one that recognised the rights and freedoms of all peoples, regardless of skin colour.
Two anthems'Nkosi Sikelel – iAfrika' and 'Die Stem'
Apartheida system of racial domination
The system was overturned in the last decade of the twentieth century
04
Sacrifices, Courage and the Meaning of Freedom
Mandela felt that the day had come about through the unimaginable sacrifices of thousands of his people. He saw himself as simply the sum of all those African patriots who had gone before him. He was pained that he could not thank them and that they could not see what their sacrifices had wrought. The policy of apartheid created a deep and lasting wound, but it also produced extraordinary men like Oliver Tambo, Walter Sisulu, Chief Luthuli, Yusuf Dadoo, Bram Fischer and Robert Sobukwe. Mandela learned from these comrades that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. He also learned that no one is born hating another person because of skin colour, background or religion; people must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love.
Couragetriumph over fear, not absence of fear
Resilienceability to deal with hardship and recover
Glimmer of humanitya sign of human goodness even in prison guards
Love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite
05
Twin Obligations and the Hunger for Freedom
Mandela explains that every man has twin obligations: to his family, parents, wife and children; and to his people, community and country. In a civil and humane society, a man can fulfil both according to his inclinations and abilities. But in South Africa, it was almost impossible for a man of Mandela's birth and colour to fulfil both. A man who tried to serve his people was inevitably ripped from his family and forced to live a twilight existence of secrecy and rebellion. Mandela did not initially choose to place his people above his family, but in attempting to serve his people, he was prevented from fulfilling his obligations as a son, brother, father and husband.
Twin obligationsfamily and community/country
Twilight existencea half-secret life of secrecy and rebellion
Apartheid made it impossible to fulfil both obligations
06
The Evolution of Mandela's Understanding of Freedom
Mandela was not born with a hunger to be free. As a boy, he was free to run in the fields, swim in the clear stream, roast mealies under the stars and ride the broad backs of slow-moving bulls. As long as he obeyed his father and abided by the customs of his tribe, he was not troubled by the laws of man or God. As a student, he wanted transitory freedoms: to stay out at night, read what he pleased and go where he chose. Later, as a young man in Johannesburg, he yearned for basic and honourable freedoms: achieving his potential, earning his keep, marrying and having a family. But then he saw that not only was he not free, but his brothers and sisters were not free. That is when he joined the African National Congress, and his hunger for his own freedom became the greater hunger for the freedom of his people.
Boyhoodfree in every way he could know
Studenttransitory freedoms
Young manbasic and honourable freedoms
Laterhunger for the freedom of all his people
07
Freedom is Indivisible
Mandela realised that freedom is indivisible. The chains on anyone of his people were the chains on all of them, and the chains on all of his people were the chains on him. He also understood that the oppressor must be liberated just as surely as the oppressed. A man who takes away another man's freedom is a prisoner of hatred; he is locked behind the bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. Mandela states that he is not truly free if he is taking away someone else's freedom, just as surely as he is not free when his freedom is taken from him. The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity.
Freedom is indivisible
The oppressor is also a prisoner of hatred
Both oppressed and oppressor lose their humanity
Want the complete chapter resources?Topic notes, quizzes and flashcards for Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.
Q1. Describe Mandela's childhood freedom as described in the extract. What did he mean by saying he was 'born free'?
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Mandela says he was born free, meaning he enjoyed the natural freedoms of a village boy: running in the fields near his mother's hut, swimming in the clear stream, roasting mealies under the stars, and riding bulls. These were simple, physical freedoms that he could enjoy as long as he obeyed his father and followed tribal customs. He later realized this freedom was an illusion because his people were not truly free under apartheid.
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Q2. What does Nelson Mandela mean when he says that the oppressor is not truly free? Explain with reference to the text.
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Mandela states that the oppressor is also a prisoner of hatred and prejudice. By taking away another person's freedom, the oppressor becomes locked behind bars of narrow-mindedness. Thus, both the oppressed and the oppressor are robbed of their humanity. True freedom, therefore, requires the liberation of both, as freedom is indivisible.
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Q3. What does Mandela say he learned about courage from his comrades in the struggle? How does he define a brave man?
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Mandela learned that courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. He saw men and women risk and give their lives for an idea, stand up to attacks and torture without breaking, showing a strength and resilience that defies the imagination. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.
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Q4. What does Mandela mean when he says, 'The oppressed and the oppressor alike are robbed of their humanity'? Explain with reference to the text.
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Mandela means that apartheid dehumanizes both the oppressor and the oppressed. The oppressor, by taking away another's freedom, becomes a prisoner of hatred and prejudice, thus losing his own humanity. The oppressed, deprived of freedom and dignity, also suffer dehumanization. True freedom, therefore, requires liberating both from this condition.
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Q5. What were Mandela's 'twin obligations'? Why was it difficult for him to fulfil both in South Africa?
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Mandela mentions twin obligations: one to his family (parents, wife, children) and another to his people, community, and country. In a civil society, one can fulfil both according to inclination, but in apartheid South Africa, a man of colour who tried to serve his people was inevitably separated from his family and forced to live a twilight existence of secrecy and rebellion. Thus, serving his people prevented him from fulfilling his duties as a son, brother, father, and husband.
Want more questions with answers?Get the full practice set for this chapter.
What is the main theme of Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom?
The chapter describes Mandela's inauguration as South Africa's first black President and reflects on the long struggle against apartheid. Its main themes are freedom, courage, resilience, the indivisibility of freedom, and the idea that both the oppressed and the oppressor lose their humanity.
Why did the military generals salute Mandela?
The highest generals of the South African defence force and police saluted Mandela and pledged their loyalty to the new democratically elected government. This showed the military's loyalty to democracy. Mandela noted that not many years before, they would have arrested him instead.
What are the twin obligations Mandela mentions?
Mandela says every man has twin obligations: one to his family, parents, wife and children, and another to his people, community and country. In a humane society, both can be fulfilled, but under apartheid, a man of colour was prevented from fulfilling both.
How did Mandela's understanding of freedom change with age?
As a boy, Mandela felt free to run, swim and roam. As a student, he wanted transitory freedoms like staying out at night. As a young man, he wanted basic and honourable freedoms like earning a living and having a family. Later, he hungered for the freedom of all his people.
Why did Mandela say the oppressor is not free?
Mandela believed that a man who takes away another's freedom is a prisoner of hatred, locked behind bars of prejudice and narrow-mindedness. The oppressor is not truly free because both the oppressed and the oppressor are robbed of their humanity.
What does Mandela mean by 'an extraordinary human disaster'?
Mandela uses 'an extraordinary human disaster' to refer to apartheid, the system of racial domination and oppression that caused deep and lasting wounds to South Africa and its people. It lasted too long and produced immense suffering.