Page 3692 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 17 October 1990
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African Government capitulated, and Mr de Klerk released Mandela without requesting such a renunciation. That was after 27 years of imprisonment - undoubtedly an inhumane sentence for a person seeking to chase political aims legitimately.
When that happened, many people thought that Mr Mandela would somehow bring about South Africa's salvation. During his 27 years in prison, much of the world built him into a larger than life symbol of resistance to apartheid. It must be pointed out, though, that upon Mr Mandela's release he dismayed many, many well-wishers across the world by calling for a continuation of the ANC's "armed struggle". He praised ANC official Joe Slovo, former chief of staff of the military wing, who was responsible for detonating bombs in public places, and stated, "I salute the South African Communist Party for its steady contribution to the struggle for democracy".
He was called to Washington and was entertained in the White House by President Bush. At that time the Washington Post said that people "will want to know that the destiny of the South African freedom movement is not to create another of the cruel, undemocratic and inefficient state-centred regimes that are collapsing in other parts of the world". At Mr Mandela's first press conference he came out in favour of nationalising mines and other enterprises - much to the dismay, I believe, of many people who believe that the only hope for prosperity in South Africa is a continuation of what is, in effect, the free enterprise system.
On his triumphant American tour Mr Mandela worried some of his supporters, including those in Australia, by praising three highly unsavoury world leaders - Yasser Arafat, Muammar Gaddafi and Fidel Castro. In the White House ceremony, when President Bush appealed to "all elements in South African society to renounce the use of violence and armed struggle", Mr Mandela pointedly refused. With Mr Bush at his side, he said that the President had made remarks about "armed struggle due to the fact he has not yet got a proper briefing from us".
Since being named Deputy President and, in effect, head of the ANC, Mr Mandela has adjusted to the limits of his influence. He has tried to make peace in the ongoing black civil war in Natal Province, but the combatants, unfortunately, have ignored him; violence has only escalated. I believe that some 1,800 people have been killed in that dispute this year alone.
Mr Mandela called for law and order in the townships where young black warlords and groups terrorise the rest of the population. Unfortunately, again he was ignored. Mr Mandela has far to go before the day comes, which I think is probably inevitable, when he moves into the tuynhuys in South Africa. Some younger ANC leaders complain that he is too moderate. On the other hand, many members of the
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