That was one of the things that worried me - to be raised to the position of a semi-god - because then you are no longer a human being. I wanted to be known as Mandela, a man with weaknesses, some of which are fundamental, and a man who is committed,

Only free men can negotiate; prisoners cannot enter into contracts. Your freedom and mine cannot be separated.

Only free men can negotiate. A prisoner cannot enter into contracts.

We owe this to the countless men, women and children across generations who carried this anthem in their hearts, in the face of bullets and the hangman's noose,

There are so many men and women who hold no distinctive positions but whose contribution towards the development of society has been enormous.

I realized quickly what Mandela and Tambo meant to ordinary Africans. It was a place where they could come and find a sympathetic ear and a competent ally, a place where they would not be either turned away or cheated, a place where they might actually feel proud to be represented by men of their own skin color.