1. Where did the ceremonies take place?

(Can you name

any public buildings in India that are made of sandstone?)

• The ceremonies took place in the

sandstone amphitheatre formed
by the Union Buildings in
Pretoria.
2. Can you say how 10 May is an 'autumn
day' in South Africa?

• 10 May is an 'autumn day' in South Africa

because on this day there was the largest
gathering of international leaders on
South African soil for the installation of
its first democratic, non-racial
government. The day hence witnessed
the ultimate ‘fall’ (autumn) of apartheid
in South Africa.
3. At the beginning of his speech, Mandela mentions "an
extraordinary human disaster". What does he mean by this?
What is the "glorious … human achievement" he speaks of at
the end?
• The 'extraordinary human disaster' that
Mandela mentioned at the beginning of his
speech refers to the inhuman practice of
apartheid i.e., the racial discrimination
suffered by the blacks at the hands of whites
in South Africa. At the end, the 'glorious
human achievement' that he spoke of refers
to the establishment of South Africa's first
democratic, non-racial government.
4. What/Why does Mandela thank the
international leaders for?
• Mandela felt privileged to be the host to the
nations of the world because not too long
ago, the South Africans were considered
outlaws. He thus thanked all the
international leaders for having come to
witness his investiture as President since
this event could be considered as a common
victory for justice, peace and human dignity.
5. What ideals does he set out for the future
of South Africa?
• Mandela had high hopes for the future of
South Africa. He pledged to liberate all
South Africans from the continuing
bondage of poverty, deprivation, suffering,
gender and other discrimination. He also
stressed that the beautiful land of South
Africa would never ever experience racial
discrimination again.
6. What do the military generals do? How
has their attitude changed, and why?
• The highest military generals of the South African
defence force and police saluted Mandela and
pledged their loyalty. When the military generals
saluted Mandela, he was not unmindful of the fact
that not too many years ago, they would not have
saluted him, but arrested him. This change in attitude
was due to the fact that a new, non-racial government
was elected and Mandela was then the President of
South Africa.
7. Why were two national anthems sung?

• On the day of the inauguration, two

national anthems were sung, one by the
whites, and the other by the blacks
symbolizing the unity, equality and
equal status of blacks and whites.
8. How does Mandela describe the systems of government in his
country (i) in the first decade, and (ii) in the final decade, of the
twentieth century?
• (i) In the first decade of the twentieth century, the
white-skinned people of South Africa patched up their
differences and erected a system of racial domination
against the dark-skinned people of their own land, thus
creating the basis of one of the harshest and most
inhumane societies the world had ever known.
• (ii) In the last decade of the twentieth century, the
previous system had been overturned forever and
replaced by one that recognized the rights and freedoms
of all peoples, regardless of the colour of their skin.
9. What does courage mean to Mandela?

• On seeing men stand up to attacks and

torture without breaking and thus
showing strength and resilience,
Mandela learnt that courage was not
the absence of fear, but the triumph
over it.
10. Which does he think is natural, to love
or to hate?
• For Mandela, love comes more naturally
to the human heart than hate.
11. What "twin obligations" does Mandela
mention?
• Mandela mentions that every man has
twin obligations. The first is to his
family, parents, wife and children; the
second obligation is to his people, his
community and his country.
12. What did being free mean to Mandela as a boy, and
as a student? How does he contrast these "transitory
freedoms" with "the basic and honourable freedoms"?
• As a boy, Mandela did not have a hunger to be free as he thought
that he was born free. As long as he obeyed his father and abided by
the customs of his tribe, he was free in every way he knew. As a
student, he wanted certain “transitory freedoms” only for himself,
such as being able to stay out at night, read what he pleased and go
where he chose.
• He then talks about certain “basic honourable freedoms” such as
achieving his potential of earning his living and of marrying and
having a family.
• He builds the contrast between these two freedoms by stating that
the transitory freedoms he wanted were limited to him, whereas the
honourable freedoms had to do more with his and his people's
position in the society.
13. Does Mandela think the oppressor is
free? Why/Why not?
• Mandela does not feel that the
oppressor is free because according to
him an oppressor is a prisoner of hatred,
who is locked behind the bars of
prejudice and narrow-mindedness. He
feels that both the oppressor and the
oppressed are robbed of their
humanity.
14. Why did such a large number of international
leaders attend the inauguration? What did it signify the
triumph of?
• The inauguration of a new, non-racial
government was a historic moment in
South African as well as world history.
Thus, several distinguished international
leaders attended this inauguration. It
signified the triumph of justice, peace
and human dignity.
15. What does Mandela mean when he says he is
"simply the sum of all those African patriots" who had
gone before him?
• When Mandela says that he is 'simply the
sum of all African patriots,' he feels that he
is the sum of all those African Patriots who
had gone before him. He wants to pay
tribute to all those noble and courageous
men who fought and sacrificed their lives
and had paved the path for the collective
freedom of the African people.
16. Would you agree that the “depths of oppression” create
“heights of character? How does Mandela illustrate this? (Can
you add your own examples to this argument?)

• Yes, I agree that the “depths of

oppression” create “heights of character”.
Mandela thought that the decades of
brutality and oppression had an
unintended effect of creating many African
patriots with unimaginable heights of
character. Thus, he felt that the greatest
wealth of South Africa is its people.
17. How did Mandela's understanding of
freedom change with age and experience?
• As a boy, Mandela did not have a hunger for
freedom because he thought that he was born free.
He believed that as long as he obeyed his father and
abided by the customs of his tribe, he was free in
every possible manner. He had certain needs as a
teenager and as a young man. Gradually, he realized
that he was selfish during his boyhood. He slowly
understands that it is not just his freedom that is
being curtailed, but the freedom of all blacks. It is
after attaining this understanding that he develops a
hunger for the freedom of his people.
18. How did Mandela's 'hunger for freedom' change his
life?

• Mandela realized in his youth that it was not

just his freedom that was being curtailed, but
the freedom of all blacks. The hunger for his
own freedom became the hunger for the
freedom of his people. This desire of a non-
racial society transformed him into a virtuous
and self-sacrificing man. Thus, he joined the
African National Congress and this changed him
from a frightened young man into a bold man.