Nelson Mandela Life Story an Unconquerable Spirit

8/13/2019 Nelson Mandela Life Story an Unconquerable Spirit

1/8

Nelson Mandela life story: An

unconquerable spiritFor those who shared his struggle and his captivity, Nelson Mandela'smoral strength was a source of constant inspiration - and occasionalamusement

AHMED KATHRADA

FRIDAY 06 DECEMBER 2013

"Mdala" - "old man", asNelson Mandelaand I used to call eac ote! on n#o!maloccasons - $as, l%e all uman &en's, not #!ee o# $ea%nesses and #aln's( )e $as an

uncommon amal'am o# te *easant and te a!stoc!at+ te democ!at *a! ecellence,

&ut not $tout a touc o# te autoc!at+ at once *!oud and sm*le+ so#t and tenacous+
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/nelson-mandela-life-story-an-unconquerable-spirit-8406549.htmlhttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/nelson-mandela-life-story-an-unconquerable-spirit-8406549.htmlhttp://www.independent.co.uk/search/simple.do?destinationSectionUniqueName=search&publicationName=ind&pageLength=5&startDay=1&startMonth=1&startYear=2010&useSectionFilter=true&useHideArticle=true&searchString=byline_text:(%22Ahmed%20Kathrada%22)&displaySearchString=Ahmed%20Kathradahttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/nelson-mandela-dead-at-95-south-africas-first-black-president-and-antiapartheid-icon-dies-8670485.htmlhttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/nelson-mandela-dead-at-95-south-africas-first-black-president-and-antiapartheid-icon-dies-8670485.htmlhttp://www.independent.co.uk/independent.co.uk/assets/images/redesign/masthead/indy-new-masthead-800x64.pnghttp://www.independent.co.uk/search/simple.do?destinationSectionUniqueName=search&publicationName=ind&pageLength=5&startDay=1&startMonth=1&startYear=2010&useSectionFilter=true&useHideArticle=true&searchString=byline_text:(%22Ahmed%20Kathrada%22)&displaySearchString=Ahmed%20Kathradahttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/nelson-mandela-dead-at-95-south-africas-first-black-president-and-antiapartheid-icon-dies-8670485.htmlhttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/nelson-mandela-life-story-an-unconquerable-spirit-8406549.htmlhttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/nelson-mandela-life-story-an-unconquerable-spirit-8406549.html


2/8

dete!mnedl o&stnate and #le&le+ .an and s+ cool and m*atent( )e $as,

o$e.e!, al$as a *eo*le/s *e!son(

!son l#e s talo!-made to &!n' to te #o!e te &est and te $o!st n uman &en's(

Mdala - du!n' ou! ea!s to'ete! on Ro&&en Island and, late!, at ollsmoo! - stood

$t te !est o# us n e.e! as*ect o# *!son l#e, t!ou' te &ad and t!ou' te 'ood(

)e $as o##e!ed &ette! clotn' and &ette! #ood & te auto!tes+ e !e#used( omecollea'ues su''ested tat, as ou! leade!, e sould not &e *a!tc*atn' n $o!% suc as

*olsn' #loo!s, cleann' te tolets, and so on+ e !e#used, addn' tat n ca!!n' out

*!son tas%s te!e $e!e no leade!s all $e!e eual( 4us, on ou! $ee%l cleann' das,

e $as $t te !est o# us ta%n' *a!t #ull n te co!es(

In 157, almost te ent!e *!son *o*ulaton o# Ro&&en Island $ent do$n $t #lu( 8#

te 29-odd *!sone!s n ou! secton onl Mdala and t!ee ne$ a!!.als dd not succum&

and $e!e stll on te! #eet( E.e! mo!nn' e and te t!ee collea'ues $ent #!om cell

to cell, collected, em*ted and $ased te tolet &uc%ets and *ut tem out n te sun(

)e also el*ed ta%e #ood and $ate! to eac cell( A num&e! o# tmes $e !eso!ted toun'e!-st!%e acton - te ultmate $ea*on o# *!sone!s( ANC *olc $as to eem*t te

elde!l and te sc%l( Mdala !e#used to &e eem*ted+ e $as $t us n te "t!ences",

$c e consde!ed s !'t#ul *lace(

:man;)o$e.e!, s ea'e!ness to &e $t te "masses" dd not al$as #nd #a.ou!

$t s #ello$ *!sone!s( 4e esta&lsed *!actce $t !e'a!d to smu''led

ne$s*a*e!s $as tat te secton tat o&taned a ne$s*a*e! ad to 'et !ele.ant tems

t!ansc!&ed, to &e sent to ote! sectons( It $as a la&o!ous tas%, es*ecall n ou!

secton, $c ad so #e$ *!sone!s and ence #e$ t!ansc!&e!s( Mdala, o# cou!se, not

$antn' to s!% an !es*ons&ltes, t!ansc!&ed te #e$ a!tcles e $as '.en n sneat smmet!cal and att!act.e $!tn'(


3/8

sould conduct t as a *oltcal t!al and ca!! ou!sel.es $t d'nt and *!de( 4e

ees o# ou! *eo*le and te $o!ld $e!e u*on us, and $e da!e not so$ $ea%ness( ?e

could not !el on te A**eal Cou!t to u*set a deat sentence( 8nl te st!u''le and te

nte!natonal solda!t could sa.e us #!om te 'allo$s( 4e!e#o!e, n te e.ent o# a

deat sentence $e sould not lod'e an a**eal(

)e s*o%e so *o$e!#ull and con.ncn'l tat t le#t lttle need #o! de&ate+ $e acce*teds lead and *!e*a!ed ou!sel.es #o! te $o!st(

4s stance $as consstent $t a ca!acte!stc tat !an l%e a t!ead t!ou' all #acets

o# Mdala/s *e!sonalt once con.nced o# te co!!ectness o# a ce!tan *oston e

$ould nte!nalse t and ado*t t $t *asson( At tmes ts $ould man#est tsel# n

$at I and some o# ou! collea'ues a.e called s stu&&o!n st!ea%( Fo! eam*le, one o#

te tn's tat $e .alued .e! muc as *!sone!s on Ro&&en Island $as a !elaed

atmos*e!e, #!ee o# tenson and con#!ontaton(

4e lon'e! t lasted te &ette!( Du!n' one suc *e!od o# !elat.e calm, n te md-

150s, out o# te &lue Mdala came u* $t a *!o*osal #o! a de#ance cam*a'n a'anst

te *!son auto!tes( )s "acton" *!o*osals $e!e dscussed and de&ated & ANC

mem&e!s n ou! secton o# te *!son and unanmousl !eected( 4e $e!e sent to ou!

mem&e!s n te 'ene!al cells and !eected te!e too( But Mdala $ould not '.e u*(

4en oannes&u!'+ o!'ansed meetn's $t selected meda *eo*le, and so on( 4o #acltatets, an essental !eu!ement $as tat e &e ds'used and t!ans#o!med nto a "ne$

man"( Amon' ote! tn's e ad to #o!sa%e s stls and e*ens.e clotn'( But

a&o.e all e ad to sa.e s &ea!d( )e a'!eed to most su''estons &ut sm*l !e#used

to sa.e( )e must a.e %no$n o$ te &ea!d enanced s loo%s and *e!sonalt(

?e !e'a!ded ts de-&ea!dn' as a&solutel essental &ut couldn/t *e!suade m( It

must &e !emem&e!ed tat te secu!t #o!ces ad launced a count!$de unt #o!

m, settn' u* !oad&loc%s, sto**n' .ecles at !andom, sea!cn' ouses,


4/8

uestonn' *eo*le( Not #o! notn' $as e du&&ed te "Blac% m*e!nel"( 4e!e $e!e

close sa.es, and a cou*le o# occasons $en $e $e!e con.nced e ad &een

!eco'nsed & mem&e!s o# te *u&lc( But te &ea!d !emaned( It $as te!e $en

*otos ta%en n an Al'e!an a!m cam* a**ea!ed n te *!ess( And t $as stll te!e

$en e $as e.entuall a!!ested n )o$c% on 9 Au'ust 1562(

?e $e!e to come ac!oss ote! eam*les o# ts st!ea% n s *e!sonalt( )s nsstenceat ollsmoo! *!son tat e ad to a.e a ce!tan &!and o# a! ol, and no su&sttute,

&ecame an ssue o# consde!a&le m*o!tance to m( ?e du&&ed t "te antene c!ss"(

4e *!son $a!de!s sea!ced #o! t ' and lo$ &ut Mdala $ould not acce*t tat t $as

not a.ala&le( I tn% e e.en com*laned to M!s )elen uman, and ts led to a

!ene$ed sea!c( At last Ce# ?a!de! B!and mana'ed to locate te last !emann'

stoc% o# antene at some *a!mac( ?e $e!e sa.ed #!om anote! call to "acton"(

)e $as an unusuall to!ou' man, at tmes too to!ou' #o! ou! l%n'( ?ene.e! e

set out on an *!oect e t!ed to *e!#ect s %no$led'e( 4s a**led to e.e!tn'

#!om 'ue!!lla $a!#a!e and Ma!sm to te stud o# A#!%aans(

4us, $en $e $e!e *e!mtted to a.e a lttle 'a!den, e #elt t ncum&ent on m to

m*!o.e on te e*e!ence e ad ad $le '!o$n' u* n !u!al 4!ans%e( )e o!de!ed

&oo%s on 'a!denn' and consulted $a!de!s and *!sone!s al%e on te su&ect( Fo!

mmedate m*lementaton e cose te a**lcaton o# com*ost #o! ealt c!o*s(

Bones a!e sad to ma%e .e! 'ood com*ost, so on "meat das" e collected tem #!om

all o# us( But te!e $as a mao! u!dle to o.e!come com*ost #!om &ones could &e used

e##ect.el onl n *o$de! #o!m and n te a&sence o# mecancal '!nde!s te onl

o*ton $as to amme! tem do$n( Fo! ts te!e $as a dea!t o# .oluntee!s( o Mdala

o!'ansed a stone-&loc%, and da a#te! da, #o! a #e$ ou!s, e $ould *atentl tol

a$a, amme!n' &' &ones nto small &ones and small &ones nto *o$de!(No$, I ad ad some e*e!ence o# ts act.t du!n' m #!st m*!sonment n

Du!&an n 1576( )o$e.e! a!d ou la&ou!ed, at te end o# te da ou $ould *!oduce

onl a #e$ measl ounces o# *o$de!( And all t needed $as a 'ust o# $nd to &lo$ e.e!

*a!tcle a$a( I don/t %no$ $ ts la&ou! o# lo.e ad a so!t l#es*an+ t s *oss&le

tat Mdala $as d.e!ted & anote! #o!m o# com*ost one tat $as mo!e !eadl

a.ala&le, and n '!eate! uanttes( 4s $as natu!al com*ost, n te #o!m o# uman

$aste( 4e #!st ste* $as to d' a la!'e ole n ou! cou!ta!d( 4s done, $e no$ ad to

ma%e a !adcal can'e n ou! mo!nn' !outne nstead o# em*tn' ou! tolet &uc%ets

n te la.ato!es, $e ad to em*t tem n te ole( 4e ncon.enence o# mo.n' a$a#!om esta&lsed !outnes, te !educton o# s*ace n ou! al!ead small cou!ta!d, and

a&o.e all te stenc, dd not endea! ts sceme to an o# us( uc%l ts ntat.e too

ad a so!t l#e, and &e#o!e lon' $e $e!e &ac% to no!mal( ?e saled t!ou' te t$o

com*ost *e!ods unscated, and contnued to eno te *!oduce o# Mdala and s team

o# entusastc 'a!dene!s(

4e!e $e!e ote! ncdents n *!son, some !elat.el mno!, $c ma add anote!

and *e!a*s cont!adcto! dmenson to ou! unde!standn' o# Mdala/s *e!sonalt( In


5/8

152, $en #.e o# us $e!e t!ans#e!!ed to ollsmoo!, t $as te #!st tme snce ou!

a!!est tat $e ad &een *ut to'ete! n a communal cell( ?e $e!e a&le to o&se!.e one

anote!/s a&ts and, $e!e necessa!, adust to te no.el stuaton( ?e $e!e 'ene!all

ea!l !se!s &ut Mdala $as ea!le! tan us and sta!ted $t s ee!cses( ?e ad no

*!o&lem $t ts, and not e.en $t s !unnn'-on-te-s*ot+ &ut $e dd o&ect $en

e etended ts to !unnn' a!ound te cell(At ollsmoo!, ou! o&se!.aton $as a'an !en#o!ced tat Mdala/s ca!e and conce!n #o!

l#e $as not !est!cted to uman &en's alone e !es*ected all l.n' tn's( 8nce, on a

colds n't, all #.e o# us $e!e snu'l unde! ou! &lan%ets n .a!n' de'!ees o#

somnolence $en $e $e!e dstu!&ed & te loud c!*n' o# a solta! c!c%et( 4e #!st

nstnct $as to c!us t to deat, &ut eac o# us $ated #o! one o# te ote!s to 'et out o#

&ed to do t( At last $e s*ed Mdala slo$l 'ettn' u*( 4a%n' a to$el n s and e

t!e$ t o.e! te o##ende! and ca*tu!ed t( )o$e.e!, ou! adm!aton and a**!ecaton

#o! s ntat.e, and ou! !ele#, $e!e so!t-l.ed( )e $ent nto te &at!oom and

nstead o# #lusn' t do$n te tolet e o*ened te $ndo$ and let t out( Needless to

sa, ete! n '!attude to ts sa.ou!s o! n de#ance, te nsect contnued me!!l $t

ts c!*n' untl t $as $a%e-u* tme(

4s souldn/t a.e su!*!sed us # $e ad !emem&e!ed tat on Ro&&en Island Mdala

!e#used to %ll te ants tat n.aded s and man o# ou! cells, o! te &ees tat o.e!ed

a!ound us $t t!eatenn' 'estu!es( Yet e dd %ll *lent o# #les to #eed te un'!

cameleon tat someo$ st!aed nto ou! 'a!den( And o$ dd e !econcle sa.n' te

t!ou&lesome c!c%et $t s act.e *a!tc*aton n *uttn' to deat a seal tat &eaced

tsel# $le $e $e!e $o!%n' at te seasde to s%n t $t 'lass #!om &!o%en &ottles and

'ettn' t !ead #o! ou! coo%sG 4s ma &e consde!ed &ut a mno! cont!adcton n s

com*le *e!sonalt( ?le e 'ene!all ad an enl'tened a**!oac to te *!actces,demands and *!o&lems o# mode!n socet e $as ca!e#ul not to st!a too #a! #!om

man o# te !eu!ements o# t!adtonal l#e( 4e!e $as a cont!o.e!s on Ro&&en Island

$en an ANC *!sone! $o ad &een $o!%n' n te os*tal too% t u*on msel# to

!un an lle'al c!cumcson scool( )e ad ad no medcal t!ann', et e ad *lent

o# "*atents" #!om ac!oss te *oltcal s*ect!um( ?e ad &een a$a!e o# te scool/s

estence #o! a lon' tme, &ut seldom dscussed t( It $as a non-ssue+ tat s untl te

a!!.al o# te manl u!&ansed MH @m%onto $e $e cad!es o# te *ost-o$eto

*e!od, some o# $om condemned te *!actce not on '!ounds o# 'ene o! sa#et

&ut &ecause t $as a !e.e!son to t!&alsm( In te ensun' de&ate Mdala de#ended tet!adton(

Mdala dd not #t com#o!ta&l nto te cate'o! o# te o!dna! man( )e $as ca!mn'

and ca!smatc( )e ad a ma'netc *e!sonalt and a commandn' *!esence -

ualtes tat set m a*a!t #!om one/s net-doo! ne'&ou!( Yet te!e a!e uestons

tat stll loom la!'e( ant-l%e ualtes $e!e te!e n a&undance+ &ut can e &e

desc!&ed as a santG Do $e a.e a $ell-!ounded *ctu!e o# te manG8ne o# s st!on'est ualtes $as s conce!n #o! tose a!ound m( In te md-


6/8

e.entes, I colla*sed $t a se.e!e &ac% *!o&lem and te docto! o!de!ed tat I &e

*laced n t!acton(

4s meant st!a**n' me on a &ed $t a ea. clot &a' an'n' #!om m #eet to

st!etc m &ac%( A &ed ad to &e &!ou't to an em*t cell n ou! secton - at te tme

$e $e!e slee*n' on ssal mats on te #loo!, as all o# us dd #o! a&out 17 o# te 1 ea! I

s*ent $t Mdala on Ro&&en Island( And as te!e $e!e not enou' $e'ts a.ala&le,te &a' $as made ea.e! $t al# a &!c% and some '!a.el( I $as dul st!a**ed do$n

and mmo&lsed #o! mo!e tat a $ee%( Eac da Mdala $ould come and s*end some

ou!s $t me( )e also .oluntee!ed to attend to co!es suc as ta%n' out te &ed*an,

&ut ts $as al!ead &en' done & m #!ends Edde Danels and aloo C&a(

Mdala ad a $ell-dese!.ed !e*utaton #o! &en' le.el-eaded, cool and un#la**a&le( It

$as .!tuall m*oss&le to 'au'e s nne! emotons+ & and la!'e te !emaned

nsc!uta&le( )e #elt dee* u!t and so!!o$ at te deats o# s mote!


7/8

ANC( Mdala, $o ad al!ead s*o%en, $as so an'e!ed & ts tat e as%ed #o! an

o**o!tunt to !es*ond to te attac%( ?at $as seen on tele.son &!ou't tousands

o# *eo*le n te to$ns*s nto te st!eets, dancn' and sn'n' n cele&!aton( 4s

s*eec *ut *ad to an dou&ts tat *eo*le ma a.e a!&ou!ed a&out te $sdom o#

te ANC/s ent! nto te ne'otaton *!ocess( Mdala made t #o!ce#ull clea! tat te

ANC ad come to Hem*ton a!% not as a de#eated *a!t &ut as a *!oud *a!tc*ant(Mdala/s ntense loalt and sense o# '!attude sometmes &o!de!ed on na.ete( )e

ddn/t easl #o!'et a 'ood tu!n done to m o! to s #aml, no matte! o$ small( )s

atttude sta!ted #!om te *!emse tat all *eo*le a!e 'ood untl te cont!a! s *!o.en(

I# cautoned a&out a du&ous o! uestona&le ca!acte!, te la$e! n m $ould

mmedatel come to te #o!e( "?e!e s ou! e.denceG" e $ould as%( Yet e $as not

&eond n.o%n' uno!todo tactcs to ace.e s ams(

An eam*le o# ts occu!!ed at one o# te end-o#-ea! s*o!ts tou!naments on Ro&&en

Island( )e ad &een cosen & s team to *la cess a'anst alm, a oun' man $o

ad &een a medcal student at ?ts( As n *oltcs, Mdala/s e.e! mo.e n cess $ould

&e ca!e#ull tou't out, slo$ and del&e!ate( At te end o# te #!st da te 'ame ad

not #nsed, and te $a!de! $as as%ed to loc% u* te &oa!d n an em*t cell o.e!n't(

As loc%-u* tme $as a**!oacn' on te second


8/8

te t$o to'ete! $ould #o!ce te enem to te ne'otatn' ta&le(

?t nds't, t seems ts lne o# tn%n' m't a.e ad a d!ect &ea!n' on

de.elo*ments n ollsmoo! *!son n te E'tes( A#te! s os*talsaton at te end

o# 159, te *!son auto!tes dd not &!n' Mdala &ac% to te communal cell te #.e

o# us ad &een occu*n' snce ou! t!ans#e! to ollsmoo! n 152( Instead te solated

m n a cell a$a #!om us(8u! #!st !eacton $as to *!otest a'anst s solaton and ta%e some so!t o# acton

a'anst $at $e !e'a!ded as *unsment( But Mdala *!e.aled u*on us not to do

antn', addn' tat t m't all tu!n out #o! te 'ood( I a.e snce come to &ele.e

tat e must a.e made u* s mnd ten to use s solaton to %c%-sta!t te

ne'otaton *!ocess( But at te tme e %e*t s ca!ds close to s cest( )e cose to act

nde*endentl, *oss&l &ecause e dd not $ant to &e am*e!ed & lon', d!a$n-out

*olemcs, and o**oston( As t tu!ned out, $en e $as e.entuall allo$ed to consult

us nd.duall, e 'ot lu%e$a!m su**o!t #!om ?alte! sulu and #!m o**oston #!om

me(

8nl a#te! e unlate!all too% te #!st tentat.e ste* n tat d!ecton dd e &e'n to

consult us and %ee* us n#o!med o# de.elo*ments( )e also made contact $t ANC

eadua!te!s n usa%a( At te tme I $as te onl one o# te #ou! at ollsmoo! to

e*!ess m #!m o**oston to te ntat.e, altou' n !et!os*ect I a.e &een a&le to

see t n te *ost.e l't o# a Cnese san' "E.e! ou!ne sta!ts $t te #!st ste*("

I a.e sad all I can, #o! no$( 4e!e can &e no clam to o&ect.t n ts a!tcle, $!tten

as t s & one $o ad a *!o#ound !es*ect, adm!aton and #ondness #o! Mdala( It $ll

a.e to &e le#t to sto!ans and scola!s to *!o.de #o! *oste!t a mo!e com*lete and

ds*assonate analss( Yet I o*e tat tese memo!es $ll ma%e some sl't

cont!&uton to$a!ds a #ulle! *ctu!e o# a man $t $om I $al%ed te same *at #o!60 ea!s and mo!e, and $o $as, I &ele.e, one o# te '!eat #'u!es o# te *ast 100

ea!s(

Amed Hat!ada $as a *!sone! #!om 1567 to 155( )e $as !esdent Mandela/s

a!lamenta! Counsello! #!om 1557 to 1555(

Documents

Nelson Mandela Life Story an Unconquerable Spirit