Quotes By Nelson Mandela

I immediately regretted that last point because I have discovered that in discussions it never helps to take a morally superior tone to one's opponent.

Men, I think, are not capable of doing nothing, of saying nothing, of not reacting to injustice, of not protesting against oppression, of not striving for the good of society and the good life in the ways they see it.

I believed that I would become a counsellor to the Thembu king.

He makes the basic point that it is not so much the disability one suffers from that matters but one's attitude to it. The man who says: I will conquer this illness & live a happy life, is already halfway through to victory.

It is a simple tale, but its message is an enduring one: virtue and generosity will be rewarded in ways that one cannot know.

Even behind prison walls I can see the heavy clouds and the blue sky over the horizon.

If I preached unity, I must act like a unifier, even at the risk of perhaps alienating some of my own colleagues.

I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my own opinion. Oftentimes, my own opinion will simply represent a consensus of what I heard in the discussion.

Freedom cannot be achieved unless the women have been emancipated from all forms of oppression.

The idea of the black inferiority complex and castigated what he called the worship and idolization of the West and their ideas. The inferiority complex, he affirmed, was the greatest barrier to liberation.

Africa's rock art is the common heritage of all Africans, but it is more than that. It is the common heritage of humanity.

But in Johannesburg I found that many of the most outstanding leaders had never been to university at all.

To overthrow oppression has been sanctioned by humanity and is the highest aspiration.

The ideals we cherish, our fondest dreams and fervent hopes may not be realised in our lifetime. But that is besides the point. The knowledge that in your day you did your duty, and lived up to the expectations of your fellow men is in itself a rewarding experience and magnificent achievement.

Our children are our greatest treasure. They are our future. Those who abuse them tear at the fabric of our society and weaken our nation.

I have retired, but if there is anything that would kill me it is to wake up in the morning not knowing what to do.

All lawful modes of expressing opposition to this principle had been closed by legislation, and we were placed in a position in which we had either to accept a permanent state of inferiority, or to defy the Government. We chose to defy the law. We first broke the law in a way which avoided any recourse to violence; when this form was legislated against, and then the Government resorted to a show of force to crush opposition to its policies, only then did we decide to answer violence with violence.

We too are also inspired by the life and example of Jose Marti, who is not only a Cuban and Latin American hero but justly honoured by all who struggle to be free.

Because of their courage and persistence for many years, we can, today, even set the dates when all humanity will join together to celebrate one of the outstanding human victories of our century.

Tomorrow, the entire ANC leadership and I will be back at our desks. We are rolling up our sleeves to begin tackling the problems our country faces. We ask you all to join us - go back to your jobs in the morning. Let's get South Africa working. For we must, together and without delay, begin to build a better life for all South Africans. This means creating jobs building houses, providing education and bringing peace and security for all.